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J & A Brown No.21 / 23 Richmond Vale Railway Museum |
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Front view of J&A
Brown No.23 displayed in the guise of ROD 2004 at the Richmond Vale Railway
Museum on 16 February 2020.
The Air
Compressor mounted next to the smokebox is prominent in this view – these were
used in ROD war service,
but were removed by J
& A Brown whose trains relied instead on the loco steam brake, plus the
brake van.
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Builder |
Kitson & Company
Ltd, Leeds |
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Builder’s Number & Year |
Kitson & Co 5201 of 1918
(No.21) |
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Wheel Arrangement |
2-8-0 |
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No. in class |
521 built for British Army ROD. 13 purchased as war surplus by J
& A Brown |
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During
World War 1, the British Army’s ‘Railway Operating Division’ (ROD) selected
the Great Central Railway ‘8K’ class 2-8-0 as a robust, reliable, and modern
freight design suitable for mass production and deployment to France and
Belgium, with 521 units subsequently constructed by five companies including
the North British Locomotive Co, Kitson & Co & the Great Central
Railway’s (GCR) Gorton works. The Great Central Railway 8K design has an
interesting history, with the first being constructed by the GCR at Gorton
during 1911. The 8K design was an evolution from the earlier GCR 0-8-0 class
8A built by Kitson & Co via addition of superheating and a pony truck. ROD 2-8-0 disposal in UK At the end of hostilities, the ROD
locomotives returned to the UK. Most were eventually sold to local railway
companies after several years of storage, including 100 purchased by the
Great Western Railway in 1919 (20 units) and 1925 (80 units) and numbered in
the 30xx series. The London, Midland & Scottish Railway (LMS) purchased
75 units as late as 1927, ostensibly for their tenders. Interestingly, 30 of
the LMS engines were then resold (sans tenders) to China, becoming class KD4. At the 1924 Grouping, the Great Central
Railway became a constituent of the London & North Eastern Railway (LNER)
which perhaps explains why LNER obtained the greatest share, with 273 units
progressively added to their existing fleet of 130 GCR Class 8K locos and
becoming LNER class O4. Various rebuilds and improvements over the years saw
the O4 branch into eight sub-classes, with locos in original condition being
identified as class O4/1. 58 of the LNER machines were further modernised
from 1944 with a standard LNER 100A boiler, Walschaerts valve gear and new
cylinders to become class O1. Only one of the GCR 8K / ROD family survived
into preservation, being 63601 which was built by the GCR in 1912 as their Class
8K loco No.102. Being an older example in largely original condition (LNER
class O4/1), this locomotive was selected for the National Collection and is
now based on the preservation-era Great Central Railway, Loughborough. In a final testament to the suitability of
these rugged and reliable machines, 92 ROD / GCR 8K locos were requisitioned
during 1941 from the LNER for Second World War service in the middle east,
being used in Egypt, Palestine, Syria and Iraq. J &
A Brown’s ROD locomotives When J & A Brown needed additional motive
power for their private railway linking Pelaw Main and Richmond Main
collieries to Hunter River loading staithes at Hexham, their eyes turned to
the British Army ‘Railway Operating Division’ (ROD) 2-8-0 locomotives stored
as war surplus, with the first three (Nos. 12 – 14) purchased in 1925.
Entering J & A Brown service in 1926, they proved successful in heavy
coal traffic over their main route through the Sugarloaf Range and across
Hexham swamp – a line approximately 16km long and including several trestle
bridges and three tunnels. Ten more ROD locos were subsequently purchased via
several transactions to 1927. Interestingly, the last 10 ROD units were
delivered as crated cargo on the maiden voyage of J & A Brown’s new
collier ship the SS Minmi, which subsequently joined the fleet of ’60 milers’
shuttling coal from the Hunter River loading staithes to customers in Sydney
harbour. Colliery output declined during the
Depression years and so the 10 additional ROD locomotive were progressively
reassembled and placed in service as rail traffic demanded, with the last
(No.24) not being reactivated until 1933. In practice a maximum of 10 were in
service at any one time, with others awaiting repair or providing spares. J & A Brown already owned three chunky
2-8-2T locomotives built by Kitson & Co to a design based on the earlier
Class 8A, and the 13 ROD locomotives enjoyed a close likeness to these tank
engine cousins, while also benefitting from the interchangeability of many
parts! The
thirteen locomotives purchased by J &A Brown were:
J & A
Brown’s locomotives swapped parts over the years and indeed No.14 and No.18
were reduced to parts donors at a relatively early stage, with their chassis
stored at the ‘Fodder Shed’ for many years. Ultimately No.14 and Kitson
2-8-2T No.11 were cut up in 1966 to release loco springs as spares for their
remaining sisters. Following
the closure of Pelaw Main and Richmond Main collieries in the 1960’s, the
railway across the Sugarloaf Range was truncated to the shorter trip across
Hexham Swamp to Stockrington Colliery in the foothills. The last of the ROD
locos in J & A Brown service was No.24, withdrawn in June 1973, joining
the eclectic mix of steam locos dumped near the Hexham loco shed. Somewhat
ironically, the RODs were outlived by two of the earlier Kitson 2-8-2T
locomotives Nos.9 & 10 which
returned to service to handle the remaining Stockrington Colliery traffic,
shunting at Hexham and delivering coal to the coal washery. Four ex-South
Maitland Railways 2-8-2T locos later joined the running shed at Hexham in
addition to the Kitson 2-8-2T’s. The
webmaster has poignant memories of the steam railway operations at Hexham
because family holidays involved driving past on the way to the mid-north
coast. Being approximately half-way on our journey – and my father having an
interest in steam locos - a stop at Hexham was always part of the trip! We
would first enjoy an ‘OAK’ milk shake, followed by a detour over the NSWGR
railway crossing to the extensive nests of Richmond Vale Railway sidings. As
circumstances permitted (including less patient family members) we would head
to the steam loco running sheds! Early 1970’s visits were greeted by 10 rust-streaked
ROD 2-8-0’s, together with several other locos, which had tragically
disappeared by Christmas 1973 - to the heartbreak of this young enthusiast -
while the two Kitson 2-8-2Ts could still be found shunting the washery or
returning from Stockrington Colliery. I later learned of the fate of the RODs
and other locos stored at Hexham; Coal & Allied (successors to J & A
Brown) generously donated one ROD locomotive for local preservation (No.21
but apparently numbered 23 at the time) while tenders were invited in 1973 to
dispose of the other machines, prompting enthusiasts to scramble to save as
many as possible. While the oldest and most historic locos were saved,
including Avonside No.2, No.3, No.4, Mersey Tank No.5 and ROD Nos.20 &
24, alas seven ROD locos were sold to scrap merchants Sims Metal. These seven
locos were crudely cut at Hexham in September 1973 with the butchered remains
loaded to bogie wagons and railed to Mascot for further reduction. J & A Brown No.21 or 23? Most authors state the locomotive donated by
Coal & Allied was No.21 but to my knowledge it has always been known in
preservation as No.23. Brian Robert Andrews provides some insight, stating in
his authoritative work that No.21 finished its days with running number 23
for some reason. While the J & A Brown fleet exchanged parts over the
years, a locomotive unusually takes its identity from the frames and so it
would be interesting to know more about this apparent renumbering. Mining Museum at Freemans Waterhole The picturesque community of Freemans
Waterhole was the site of a fascinating mining museum established in the
1970’s. The location intrigued me – although surrounded by mines and a
gateway location to the Maitland coalfields, to my knowledge there had never
been a colliery there. None-the-less, an impressive purpose-built brick
building was constructed and housed many animated cut-away mining dioramas,
showing (from my childhood recollections) the evolution of mining techniques
from the Industrial Revolution through to adit, shaft and open cut mining
techniques. These models were obviously the fruit of someone’s love and
labour – even at a young age I was impressed by the effort to build the
models, and the maintenance required to keep them functioning. Outdoor
exhibits included various mining equipment, a poppet head salvaged from a
nearby colliery, and J & A Brown loco No.21 / 23 with four 4-wheel hopper
wagons and a Brown’s brake van. I believe the mining museum later closed and
the mining exhibits moved to the Richmond Vale Railway Museum, but I don’t
know what happened to the models. Further information about the mining museum
and the fate of its models and other exhibits is welcome. Richmond Vale Railway Museum The
locomotive and train displayed at Freemans Waterhole was obtained by the
Richmond Vale Railway Museum (RVRM) in the mid-1980’s. My recollection is
that is arrived in early 1986, as seen in the photo below showing the loco
sitting on the road receival ramp at Richmond Main Colliery. Planned
restoration to operation commenced circa 1988 with the boiler removed for
assessment, but progress stalled due to financial constraints - principally
the need for extensive boiler renewal. The chassis and tender were then
stored out of public sight for many years while the boiler sat in the
workshop area. After many
years of dismantled storage, the focus of restoration changed to static display
and in 2016 the locomotive components were cleaned, reassembled, and
repainted for display in time for 1918 Armistice centenary memorials.
Interestingly it has been restored as ROD 2004 (corresponding to No.23) so it
would be interesting to know if any identification was found stamped on the
frames. The loco also sports a Westinghouse air compressor mounted next to
the smokebox, as per wartime ROD duty, but this equipment was removed in J
& A Brown service. The restored ROD 2004 is a great credit to the efforts
of RVRM volunteers and it has found a fitting home at its old stamping ground
of Richmond Main colliery. Railways & Locomotives of the Newcastle
Coalfields The
Newcastle coalfields were home to an incredible array of antique steam
locomotives and varied railway operations, offering much interest to
ferroequinologists – indeed the area was central to my own induction to the
hobby. Many fine books featuring the steam railways of the Newcastle
Coalfields have been published over the years. One of the best that I have
encountered is ‘Coal, Railways & Mines – The story of the Railways and
Collieries of J & A Brown’ by Brian Robert Andrews, which covers the 13
ROD locomotives in detail and with generous illustration. |
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The
Westinghouse air compressor mounted next to the smokebox is prominent in this
view – in practice these were used
in ROD war service days
but were removed by J & A Brown whose trains relied on the loco steam
brake, plus the brake van.
Both hoppers show evidence of ember attack from the recent
bushfire, as seen in this image of 16 February 2020 courtesy of Nick Prinz.
My observation of the fortunes of the RVRM since 1986
suggest this site comes under bushfire attack roughly once per decade.
A scanned photo image showing No.21 / 23 as newly arrived
at the Richmond Vale Railway Museum.
My recollection is that this photo – taken on the road receival ramp - was taken in February 1986.
My visit to the RVRM of 23 April 2006 found the chassis and
tender of No.21 / 23 stored away from public view, in company with the two
Kitson tank locos.
The boiler was stored in the workshop
area while opportunities for restoration funding were pursued.
My young son also makes a cameo appearance in this first
generation (2 Megapixel) digital camera shot!
Flash back to May 1979 when J & A Brown No.21 / 23 was
plinthed at Freemans Waterhole, together with 4 non-air hoppers and a brake
van.
The museum here had an interesting
collection of coal mining equipment and artefacts, including a fine series of
working models in the adjacent building.
References
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a |
Preston, R.
G. ‘The Richmond Vale Railway’ published
by the New South Wales Rail Transport Museum, 1989. |
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b |
Oberg, L.
‘Locomotives of Australia - 1985 to 2010’ (Fifth Edition), published
2010 by Rosenberg Publishing Pty Ltd |
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c |
Andrews, B. R. ‘Coal, Railways & Mines –
The story of the Railways and Collieries of J & A Brown’, published
by the Iron Horse Press, 2004. |
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d |
Wikipedia entry for ROD 2-8-0
locomotives, retrieved 15 August 2021. |
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e |
Wikipedia entry for LNER Class
O4, retrieved 15 August 2021. |
Page updated: 8 September 2021
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