270:
52:
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334:, built in 1829. This locomotive worked the near-level stretch of the line between Shut End and the top of the incline above the Ashwood canal basin but was not powerful enough to manage the two inclines on the line. A letter from the mineral agent of the Dudley Estate to W.O. Foster implied that the locomotive was not running on the line in April 1864 although it is not clear whether it was a temporary or permanent stoppage. Shortly afterwards, W.O. Foster's agent wrote back agreeing to provide a new engine as part of an agreement to improve the railway. The new locomotive was delivered to Foster's company John Bradley & Co. in 1865. It is generally assumed that
193:
on stone blocks. From the
Ashwood canal basin, the line ran up an incline for around 500 yards before reaching a level section which extended for around 2 miles. The line then tilted upwards again for a second incline to the vicinity of Shut End. A short level section brought it to its termination at Corbyn's Hall collieries. Agenoria only had sufficient power to pull carriages along the level section of the line. The two inclines were worked by
278:
into the state of the railway by Rupert Smith. It was calculated that the total length of line was 39.366 miles. Three connections with the GWR mainline had been made by this date: at Round Oak, Cradley (later renamed
Cradley Heath) Station and at Askew Bridge. The report noted that there were 576 crossings, one turntable, 4 locomotive running sheds, and eleven locomotives 'exclusive of the old
318:
to the
Ashwood basin (i.e. the original Kingswinford Railway) was closed. In the same year Wellington Wharf at Dudley closed, its track being lifted the following year. Diesel locomotives were introduced into the system in the 1950s, steam power being last used in 1963. The final remaining short section of track became the property of the
269:
317:
The years immediately after the Second World War brought great changes to the
Pensnett Railway. Some of the pits served by the line were nearly exhausted of minerals and so some branches of the railway had little traffic. In 1952 the tracks were lifted in the Saltwells area. In 1953 most of the line
237:
In 1843 a consultant, F.P. Mackelcan, was hired by the Dudley estate to produce plans for further rail lines. A contractor, William Hughes, was hired to put a modified version of these plans into practice between 1844 and 1845. These new lines, in service in 1846, were known as the
Pensnett Railway
277:
The network achieved its maximum extent in the 1870s when it included nearly 40 miles (64 km) of track. At this point it stretched to Himley in the north, Dudley in the north-east, Ashwood Basin in the west, Cradley
Station in the south and Old Hill to the south-east. In 1876 a report was made
257:
opened their route to Dudley. The line crossed the
Pensnett Railway at Round Oak, the crossing being made on the level. This crossing, at a near right angle, became a well known feature of the railway. Also in the early 1850s, an extension was made to the Pensnett system to the south-east to service
192:
purpose-built to haul wagons of coal from pits to the canal basin. The railway crossed land either owned by the Dudley Estate or leased by James Foster. The line was known as the
Kingswinford Railway although sometimes it was called the Shutt (or Shut) End Railway. It was a standard gauge line set
265:
In 1865, the
Pensnett Railway was connected to the Kingswinford Railway, so that the original line, built in 1829, was connected to the network. Also in 1865 the line to High Lanes was extended to Dudley where a land sale wharf was built at Wellington Road. Coal was sent to the wharf by rail to be
140:
which had formerly been common land and, much further back in time, a hunting ground for the Barons of Dudley. Much of this land covered coal seams and deposits of industrial material including iron ore and fire-clay. Canals had been cut into the Black
Country region in the second half of the 18th
341:
When the new lines were built in the mid 1840s the Dudley Estate obtained an engine or engines to work the lines (a locomotive driver was engaged in 1846) but no details are available of the type or the manufacturer. The first locomotive to run on the railway after Agenoria, of which anything is
285:
In 1885 some of the original land leases obtained by James Foster in order to build the Kingswinford Railway were set to expire. James' successor at John Bradley & Co., W.O. Foster, decided that the link to the Ashwood Basin was no longer necessary for his Shut End works, which were by then
293:
near the Earl of Dudley's Himley Park. The line to the colliery was constructed by the GWR in 1907 starting from Askew Bridge on the Pensnett Railway. Although the GWR built it, the branch was owned and operated by the Pensnett Railway. The mine went into production in 1912.
51:
141:
century but not all were conveniently close to the mines of the Dudley Estate. It was therefore decided to construct a railway linking coal mines near Shut End to a purpose-built canal basin at
266:
collected by coal merchants and distributed by road. The railway line though long closed was recalled for many years by a local business called Great Western Windows based in Wellington Road.
886:
876:
273:
The Round Oak Ironworks in the 1870s. The Pensnett Railway runs in front of the factory. To the left is the signal box controlling the crossing and junction with the GWR line.
229:
205:
ran for in excess of three decades. After a period of neglect, it was eventually donated to the Science Museum in South Kensington in 1885 and is now on display at the
286:
connected to the canal and mainline rail network. It was then arranged for the Dudley Estate to take over the Foster leases, which included the Ashwood Basin itself.
157:
217:
254:
177:
a large industrial concern that owned the Stourbridge Iron Works. In 1823 John Bradley & Co., had taken a lease of land at Shut End, Kingswinford from
301:. For the first year, passengers were carried in converted mineral waggons. However, from 1929, proper passenger carrying carriages were hired from the
107:
railway that developed from a single 3-mile (4.8 km) line opened in 1829 to, at its maximum extent, a 40-mile (64 km) long network around the
262:
in Netherton. In 1855, the Dudley Estate opened the Round Oak Ironworks next to the Level New Furnaces in the centre of the Pensnett railway network.
881:
250:) and south to Nine Locks. The incline at Barrow Hill was so steep that a stationary engine had to be installed to work the line on the slope.
185:
and, in 1819, they formed the company Foster Rastrick & Co. Rastrick had experience of steam engine construction and railway engineering.
146:
354:
became a favoured locomotive supplier up to the close of the 19th century. This company provided several locomotives to the railway including
871:
423:
but the steel works and the pits have been demolished. Some trackbeds have become footpaths, while others have disappeared completely.
238:
and were built to service local mines, factories, furnaces and transport hubs. The lines, roughly centred on the Level New Furnaces at
850:
797:
330:
The Pensnett Railway employed many different locomotives during its long history. As already mentioned, the first of these was the
21:
243:
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173:, the 4th Viscount Dudley and Ward, soon to become the 1st Earl of Dudley. James Foster (1786-1853) controlled the company
170:
374:
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60:
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mechanisms where loaded coal wagons moving down the slope pulled empty wagons uphill. The locomotive, constructed by
411:. These engines were given numbers rather than names. A final diesel locomotive was obtained second-hand in 1969.
166:
420:
408:
347:
297:
Although the railway was a mineral line, passengers were carried from 1928 until 1937 to the annual fetes at
206:
142:
302:
189:
56:
289:
The final major development of the network came when the Dudley estate developed a large coal mine at
319:
182:
174:
290:
178:
309:, included an intermediate stop at Barrow Hill and ended at Himley Park, a distance of 3.5 miles.
305:. The route started at Wallows Shed, which was a repair facility for locomotives near the end of
373:
In the first half of the 20th century many locomotives were obtained from Scottish manufacturer
136:
region of England. They had added to their possessions in the 18th century by the enclosure of
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0-4-0ST steam locomotive 'Edward VII' built at the Earl of Dudley's Castle Mill Works in 1902
401:
194:
282:.' At the end of 1876 a total of 137 men were employed by the railway as well as 15 boys.
181:. In addition to John Bradley & Co., James Foster was also involved with the engineer
351:
306:
222:
137:
103:
865:
239:
161:
Ashwood canal basin. Originally built to transport coal from the Kingswinford Railway
133:
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64:
443:. Dudley, UK.: County Borough of Dudley Libraries Museums and Arts Department.
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23:
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including Lady Edith (1900), Lady Morvyth (1921) and Lady Rosemary (1921).
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of the Railway Foundry in Leeds. Subsequently, the Leeds manufacturer
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50:
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From 1955 to 1962, 10 diesel locomotives were obtained from the
169:, a local ironmaster, and Francis Downing, the mineral agent of
225:
in 1859 to the Earl of Dudley’s Railway a.k.a. Pensnett Railway
165:
An agreement to construct a rail line was signed in 1827 by
188:
The line opened on 2 June 1829 with the steam locomotive
552:
550:
764:. Dudley, UK: Dudley Leisure Services. pp. 52–53.
483:. Dudley, UK: Dudley Leisure Services. pp. 12–13.
680:
678:
559:
Railways of the Black Country, Volume One: The Byways
689:. Dudley, UK: Dudley Leisure Services. p. 55.
661:. Dudley, UK: Dudley Leisure Services. p. 26.
508:. Dudley, UK: Dudley Leisure Services. p. 43.
887:Closed railway lines in the West Midlands (region)
246:, north-east to High Lanes (in the direction of
221:0-4-0 tender locomotive 'Countess' delivered by
128:In the 19th century, the Ward family, owners of
561:. Wolverhampton: Uralia Press. pp. 54–59.
419:A short piece of track is still visible at the
783:
781:
149:, a distance of around 3 miles (4.8 km).
8:
877:Rail transport in the West Midlands (county)
820:. Cambridge: Goose and Son. pp. 10–12.
811:
809:
739:. Cambridge: Goose and Son. pp. 54–55.
714:. Cambridge: Goose and Son. pp. 87–89.
636:. Cambridge: Goose and Son. pp. 72–73.
611:. Cambridge: Goose and Son. pp. 64–73.
458:. Cambridge: Goose and Son. pp. 18–23.
255:Oxford, Worcester and Wolverhampton Railway
760:Collins, Paul (1989). Paul Collins (ed.).
685:Collins, Paul (1989). Paul Collins (ed.).
657:Cockeram, Tom (1989). Paul Collins (ed.).
479:Cockeram, Tom (1989). Paul Collins (ed.).
400:A few locomotives were also obtained from
762:Stourbridge and its Historic Locomotives
687:Stourbridge and its Historic Locomotives
659:Stourbridge and its Historic Locomotives
586:. Cambridge: Goose and Son. p. 57.
533:. Cambridge: Goose and Son. p. 26.
506:Stourbridge and its Historic Locomotives
504:Fort, David (1989). Paul Collins (ed.).
481:Stourbridge and its Historic Locomotives
431:
147:Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal
7:
132:, had large holdings of land in the
792:. History Press. pp. 118–129.
14:
818:A History of the Pensnett Railway
737:A History of the Pensnett Railway
712:A History of the Pensnett Railway
634:A History of the Pensnett Railway
609:A History of the Pensnett Railway
584:A History of the Pensnett Railway
531:A History of the Pensnett Railway
456:A History of the Pensnett Railway
338:was abandoned around this time.
111:’s Iron Works at Round Oak near
67:for the Earl of Dudley’s Railway
322:, which itself closed in 1982.
882:Industrial railways in England
1:
872:Railway lines opened in 1829
843:The Earl of Dudley's Railway
790:The Earl of Dudley's Railway
61:Foster, Rastrick and Company
441:The Story of Pensnett Chase
903:
421:Round Oak Steel Terminal
409:Yorkshire Engine Company
199:Foster Rastrick & Co
153:The Kingswinford Railway
73:Earl of Dudley’s Railway
207:National Railway Museum
16:Railway line in the UK
841:Williams, Ned (2014).
788:Williams, Ned (2014).
557:Williams, Ned (1984).
439:Guttery, D.R. (1967).
346:, supplied in 1855 by
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816:Gale, W.K.V. (1975).
735:Gale, W.K.V. (1975).
710:Gale, W.K.V. (1975).
632:Gale, W.K.V. (1975).
607:Gale, W.K.V. (1975).
582:Gale, W.K.V. (1975).
529:Gale, W.K.V. (1975).
454:Gale, W.K.V. (1975).
313:Post Second World War
272:
232:
220:
175:John Bradley & Co
160:
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320:Round Oak Steelworks
213:The Pensnett Railway
183:John Urpeth Rastrick
37:52.48028°N 2.13083°W
33: /
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42:52.48028; -2.13083
845:. History Press.
307:Lord Ward's Canal
171:John William Ward
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138:Pensnett Chase
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109:Earl of Dudley
104:standard gauge
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366:(1863), and
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253:In 1852 the
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179:J.H.H. Foley
167:James Foster
164:
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76:
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55:Locomotive '
18:
393:(1941) and
348:E.B. Wilson
326:Locomotives
299:Himley Park
244:Barrow Hill
203:Stourbridge
195:self-acting
65:Stourbridge
59:' built by
40: /
866:Categories
827:0900404280
771:0900911255
746:0900404280
721:0900404280
696:0900911255
668:0900911255
643:0900404280
618:0900404280
593:0900404280
568:0950053384
540:0900404280
515:0900911255
490:0900911255
465:0900404280
427:References
377:including
291:Baggeridge
25:52°28′49″N
260:Saltwells
209:in York.
28:2°07′51″W
397:(1941).
389:(1930),
387:George V
385:(1925),
381:(1903),
370:(1872).
362:(1859),
358:(1859),
336:Agenoria
332:Agenoria
280:Pershore
190:Agenoria
95: in
79:, was a
57:Agenoria
415:Remains
379:Viceroy
364:Victory
356:Brandon
145:on the
143:Ashwood
124:Origins
119:History
90:⁄
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360:Himley
248:Dudley
383:Billy
368:Ednam
847:ISBN
822:ISBN
794:ISBN
766:ISBN
741:ISBN
716:ISBN
691:ISBN
663:ISBN
638:ISBN
613:ISBN
588:ISBN
563:ISBN
535:ISBN
510:ISBN
485:ISBN
460:ISBN
344:Alma
71:The
303:GWR
201:of
75:or
63:in
868::
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Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
