John Brown's Private Railway
Encyclopedia
John Brown's railway was a line constructed in the Rotherham
area of South Yorkshire
, England
, in order to link Silverwood Colliery
to staithes situated alongside the River Don. The line, along with the collieries, became the sole property of John Brown & Company
of Sheffield, in 1910, giving the line its local name.
John Brown and Company were also the owners of other collieries in South Yorkshire, including Rotherham Main
, which was served by a Great Central branch line.
, situated in the Don Valley, between the lines of the Midland Railway
, north of Parkgate and Rawmarsh
and the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway
, north of Parkgate and Aldwarke was established in the 1860s and had connections to both railways and to staithes alongside the river.
In 1898, a new company was formed to take over Roundwood Colliery and to develop a new colliery at Silverwood, near Thrybergh. These collieries and the boat staithes were to be linked by a railway. The company was originally known as "The Roundwood and Dalton Colliery Co.", becoming Dalton Main Collieries Limited in December 1899.
The railway companies serving Roundwood were approached to build a line to Silverwood but both declined and so it was built privately as "The Roundwood and Dalton Colliery Railway". The line was opened in 1901 and its main engineering work was a girder bridge crossing the River Don which was built by Newton, Chambers & Company
. The line was known for its gradients, the main section being between 1 in 44 and 1 in 56.
The line became part of the Rotherham, Maltby and Laughton Railway which, in turn, became the major part of the Great Central and Midland Railways Joint Committee in South Yorkshire.
In August 1905, a train going down the hill from Silverwood Colliery to Roundwood could not hold back its load and the locomotive, Dalton Main Colliery No.4 (Andrew Barclay
, Works No. 1021, built 1904) was overpowered. The crew jumped after passing over the River Don bridge. The driver suffered only shock. The fireman was slightly injured. At the point where the colliery line passed below the Great Central line the locomotive left the rails but stayed upright through the bridge and fell into the marshy ground beyond. The wagons were totally destroyed and the track seriously damaged. The locomotive was repaired and survived a further 21 years until being scrapped. Slippery rails covered with natural evening moisture together with water dripping from the wagonloads of 'slack' were blamed.
On 30 September 1910, not long after the railway had become the property of the G.C. & M. J.R., a loaded coal train leaving Silverwood Colliery with 50 wagons went out of control and ran away. The Mexborough locomotive crew jumped, the driver sustaining minor injuries, the fireman being bruised. Catchpoints prevented the train reaching the main line, although some of the wagons did so. The locomotive ended on the canal towpath. The signal box, Thrybergh Junction, was saved, although it did suffer in a later accident and fell backwards into the river. The signalman, reportedly, left his box hurriedly - hardly surprising!
in early 1905. These trains linked Roundwood Colliery, the river boat staithe and Silverwood Colliery. Under a similar agreement, the colliery company could also work their own trains over the line, for internal traffic only.
In 1959, a platform was constructed on the line, near to Whinney Hill in Thrybergh, to serve the "Children's Outings" organised by local Working Men's Clubs. This was known as Thrybergh Tins
and closed in the mid-1960s.
and Midland Joint) was closed in 1967 for the construction of a motorway bridge: it never reopened, being officially closed from March 1969. The main line from Thrybergh Junction to Silverwood was singled in spring 1975.
Rotherham
Rotherham is a town in South Yorkshire, England. It lies on the River Don, at its confluence with the River Rother, between Sheffield and Doncaster. Rotherham, at from Sheffield City Centre, is surrounded by several smaller settlements, which together form the wider Metropolitan Borough of...
area of South Yorkshire
South Yorkshire
South Yorkshire is a metropolitan county in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England. It has a population of 1.29 million. It consists of four metropolitan boroughs: Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham, and City of Sheffield...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, in order to link Silverwood Colliery
Silverwood Colliery
Silverwood Colliery was owned by Dalton Main Collieries Ltd., and was originally called Dalton Main. It was renamed after the local woodland where it was situated, between Thrybergh and Ravenfield, in Yorkshire, England, although it could easily have been called Gulling Wood.- History :Dalton Main...
to staithes situated alongside the River Don. The line, along with the collieries, became the sole property of John Brown & Company
John Brown & Company
John Brown and Company of Clydebank was a pre-eminent Scottish marine engineering and shipbuilding firm, responsible for building many notable and world-famous ships, such as the , the , the , the , the , and the...
of Sheffield, in 1910, giving the line its local name.
John Brown and Company were also the owners of other collieries in South Yorkshire, including Rotherham Main
Rotherham Main Colliery
Rotherham Main Colliery was situated in Canklow, about south of the town in the Rother Valley. The area was the site of an ancient crossing of the river set below the crag on which were Canklow Woods, an ancient woodland area.- History :...
, which was served by a Great Central branch line.
History
Roundwood CollieryRoundwood Colliery
Roundwood Colliery was a coal mine situated in the Don Valley, about 2 miles north of Rotherham, South Yorkshire, England on the borders of Rotherham and Rawmarsh.- History :...
, situated in the Don Valley, between the lines of the Midland Railway
Midland Railway
The Midland Railway was a railway company in the United Kingdom from 1844 to 1922, when it became part of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway....
, north of Parkgate and Rawmarsh
Parkgate and Rawmarsh railway station
Parkgate and Rawmarsh railway station, originally named Park Gate and Rawmarsh was situated in Parkgate, adjacent to the Park Gate Iron and Steel Company's works...
and the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway
Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway
The Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway was formed by amalgamation in 1847. The MS&LR changed its name to the Great Central Railway in 1897 in anticipation of the opening in 1899 of its London Extension.-Origin:...
, north of Parkgate and Aldwarke was established in the 1860s and had connections to both railways and to staithes alongside the river.
In 1898, a new company was formed to take over Roundwood Colliery and to develop a new colliery at Silverwood, near Thrybergh. These collieries and the boat staithes were to be linked by a railway. The company was originally known as "The Roundwood and Dalton Colliery Co.", becoming Dalton Main Collieries Limited in December 1899.
The railway companies serving Roundwood were approached to build a line to Silverwood but both declined and so it was built privately as "The Roundwood and Dalton Colliery Railway". The line was opened in 1901 and its main engineering work was a girder bridge crossing the River Don which was built by Newton, Chambers & Company
Newton, Chambers & Company
It was in 1789 that George Newton and Thomas Chambers entered into a partnership that would result in the founding of one of England's largest industrial companies of that era, Newton, Chambers & Co.-History:...
. The line was known for its gradients, the main section being between 1 in 44 and 1 in 56.
The line became part of the Rotherham, Maltby and Laughton Railway which, in turn, became the major part of the Great Central and Midland Railways Joint Committee in South Yorkshire.
Accidents
As may be imagined on a line with steep gradients there was a problem with runaway accidents.In August 1905, a train going down the hill from Silverwood Colliery to Roundwood could not hold back its load and the locomotive, Dalton Main Colliery No.4 (Andrew Barclay
Andrew Barclay & Sons Co.
Andrew Barclay Sons & Co. was a builder of steam and diesel locomotives, based in Kilmarnock, Scotland, that was founded in 1840 and is now owned by Wabtec Rail.- History :...
, Works No. 1021, built 1904) was overpowered. The crew jumped after passing over the River Don bridge. The driver suffered only shock. The fireman was slightly injured. At the point where the colliery line passed below the Great Central line the locomotive left the rails but stayed upright through the bridge and fell into the marshy ground beyond. The wagons were totally destroyed and the track seriously damaged. The locomotive was repaired and survived a further 21 years until being scrapped. Slippery rails covered with natural evening moisture together with water dripping from the wagonloads of 'slack' were blamed.
On 30 September 1910, not long after the railway had become the property of the G.C. & M. J.R., a loaded coal train leaving Silverwood Colliery with 50 wagons went out of control and ran away. The Mexborough locomotive crew jumped, the driver sustaining minor injuries, the fireman being bruised. Catchpoints prevented the train reaching the main line, although some of the wagons did so. The locomotive ended on the canal towpath. The signal box, Thrybergh Junction, was saved, although it did suffer in a later accident and fell backwards into the river. The signalman, reportedly, left his box hurriedly - hardly surprising!
Passenger services
The line did not have a regular public passenger service. However, the colliery company, by an agreement with the railway committee, did run Workmen's Trains, often referred to as Paddy Mails using seven coaches which were bought from the Mersey RailwayMersey Railway
The Mersey Railway connected Liverpool and Birkenhead, England, via the Mersey Railway Tunnel under the River Mersey. Opened in 1886, it was the second oldest urban underground railway network in the world. The railway contained the first tunnel built under the River Mersey. It was constructed by...
in early 1905. These trains linked Roundwood Colliery, the river boat staithe and Silverwood Colliery. Under a similar agreement, the colliery company could also work their own trains over the line, for internal traffic only.
In 1959, a platform was constructed on the line, near to Whinney Hill in Thrybergh, to serve the "Children's Outings" organised by local Working Men's Clubs. This was known as Thrybergh Tins
Thrybergh Tins
Thrybergh Tins platform was a short platform built alongside the Great Central and Midland Joint Railway line between Thrybergh Junction, on the Great Central Railway, Mexborough to Rotherham Central line and Silverwood Colliery, near Thrybergh. A connection was also available to the Midland...
and closed in the mid-1960s.
Closures
The connection to the Great Central at Roundwood was removed in March 1914. The line from Don Bridge East Junction to Roundwood was closed in the 1960s but a single track was retained as a 'trap' for runaways. The line beyond Silverwood to Hellaby (Great Central, Hull & BarnsleyHull and Barnsley Railway
The Hull Barnsley & West Riding Junction Railway and Dock Company was opened on 20 July 1885. It had a total projected length of 66 miles but never reached Barnsley, stopping a few miles short at Stairfoot. The name was changed to The Hull and Barnsley Railway in 1905...
and Midland Joint) was closed in 1967 for the construction of a motorway bridge: it never reopened, being officially closed from March 1969. The main line from Thrybergh Junction to Silverwood was singled in spring 1975.