Newton-le-Willows
the history of our local area
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Content & Copyright
Most all items in the gallery are scanned from items owned by Steven Dowd, a few items in the gallery have been scanned from photos or postcards owned by others, and are shown here with their permissionThe content and Images within this website, unless otherwise noted, are the copyright of Steven Dowd ©2001-2009.
| A history of the Vulcan Foundry |
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| Written by Steven Dowd | ||||||||||||||||||
Page 6 of 7 Period: BETWEEN THE WARS
For some years after the termination of hostilities, work continued at high pressure at The Vulcan Foundry, a full order book being maintained, due to the world shortage of Locomotives and Spares as a result of the war. Orders for a large number of the Indian Standard design of 2-8-0 Type goods Engines were placed with British manufacturers, a good share of these coming to The Vulcan Foundry. A very useful six-coupled side-tank engine of neat design was introduced by the London, Midland & Scottish Railway in 1924, and one of the first contracts placed was for twenty with The Vulcan Foundry. Although described as a goods Tank Engine, later examples are in regular service on passenger trains—I believe some are still in use on the local Warrington motor train service. Considerable development of the Gold Coast Railway took place after the war, consequent upon the expansion of the mining industry in that country. To work the heavy trains of machinery and stores, some powerful 4-8-2 Tender Engines were built by The Vulcan in 1924.
In the early twenties, as many of the major Indian Railways began to come under the control of the Indian Government, a Committee was appointed to carry out a policy of locomotive standardisation, detailed designs of the new standard locomotives were worked out by the locomotive builders and the Conulting Engineers, the broad gauge engines being designated as "X" class, the metre gauge as "Y" class and the 2 ft. 6 in. gauge as "Z" class. The Vulcan Foundry were engaged on the design of the "X" series, of which, the first to be completed were nine 4-6-2 "XB" class for G.I.P.R. and five for the E.B.R. in 1927. These were followed by 2-8-2 "XD" class, 4-6-2 "XC" class, 2-8-2 "XE" class and 4-6-2 "XA" class for various Indian Railways, and also in 1927, five of the 2-8-2 "YD" class were supplied to the Assam Bengal Railway. In 1923, Mr. Richards retired from the position of General Manager and joined the Board of Directors, Mr. F. S. Whalley being appointed as his successor. Sir William Collingwood retired in 1928. Mr. Whalley became the Managing Director in June, 1929. In those days, as now, the bicycle was a popular means of transport to and from the Works, and before the advent of 'buses, was indeed in many cases, a necessity. Mr. King, then Assistant Works Manager, had a de-luxe model cycle, the handle bar grips of which, screwed out to reveal an oil can in one and a repair kit in the other. The late Simeon Hayes affected a fixed-wheel museum piece, the brake operating by means of a rubber covered shoe pressing down on the front tyre. He could never mount this machine unaided, and Sam Hough, then foreman Millwright, took a fiendish delight in getting him into the saddle and attempting to push him into the Institute wall! It was the practice of the clerks to rear their machines in front of the offices, leaving the juniors to take them through the lodge-gates to a place of safety under the office veranda. (We had not then attained the luxury of bicycle-sheds). One summer morning, instead of turning in at the gates, set off on a tour of the surrounding countryside, and had reached the outskirts of Warrington, when I was horrified to see Mr. Richard's Rolls Royce bearing down on me. In reply to Mr. Richard's brusque query as to what I was doing so far from the Works, I explained that I was "taking Mr. Marsden's bicycle round, and this reply so nonplussed him, that he could only order me to return to my duties forthwith, and omitted to mete out any further punishment. However, the day afterwards, an edict was issued to the effect that cycles must not be left in front of the Offices.
The late Chief Accountant, Mr. Nichols, developed a consuming passion for golf and used to practise swings in the privacy of his oil:ice, but discontinued this habit after almost decapitating me with a No. 5 iron as I was taking in his afternoon tea. Personalities I recall in the Works include Tim Traverse, Foreman Boilermaker, a huge man and an awesome figure in his boiler inspection suit, Mr. Gill, one-time Foreman Erector, always immaculately attired with a flower in his coat and his son Jack, the chief Rate-fixer, who met an untimely end. The aforementioned Sam Hough, never without a quid of tobacco in his mouth, and Tommy Abbey, the bent and wizened Foreman Labourer. Jack Martin, the one-legged Foreman Planer, affectionately known as "Peggy", whom I once instructed to "take his barrow up to the Goods Station," having confused him with Martin McGuinness the old Labourer who normally performed that duty! Some indication of the expansion of the business is given by the figures showing Works output. Although the 1000th Engine was completed in 1883, it was twenty-two years later that the 2000 mark was reached. The 3000th Engine, a tank Locomotive for the Great Indian Peninsula Railway, was delivered in 1914, and the 4000th Engine, a three cylinder compound for the London, Midland & Scottish Railway, was completed in 1925. In view of the fact that Locomotives had become much heavier, the tonnage production figures are relatively greater than shown by the mere increase in the number of Engines delivered. With the extension of Electric Traction on Railways it was obvious that Electric Locomotives would be required, and the firm gave particular attention to this new development. About this time, contracts were secured for the supply of mechanical parts for thirty-one heavy Electric Freight Locomotives for the Great Indian Peninsula Railway. Each Engine had motors totalling 2,600 H.P. and weighed 123 tons, and was built to run at a maximum speed of 45 miles per hour. In 1930, the Firm completed one hundred years of Locomotive building, and to celebrate the centenary, the Directors invited all the employees, numbering some 2,200, as their guests for a day's outing to Blackpool, the special trains employed being drawn by Locomotives built at The Vulcan Foundry, chartered for the occasion. Of the numerous stories told of the trip, perhaps two will suffice. A certain clerk, having imbibed more beer than was his wont, stood glassy-eyed and rocking on thepromenade. He was approached by a boatman with the remark "Nice day for a sail, Sir.- Our friend appeared to ponder this remark for a while, and then replied "Hic—b well go for one then !
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