Baddiley Railway
The Baddiley Railway (or Lord Roxton's Railway) was formed in 1839 to transport coal, and latterly copper, lead and slate, from Stanley Fell to the staithes at Baddiley, ()shire. From 1843, the goods from the mines and quarries were also transhipped over the Roxton & Cherringham Railway after a transfer yard and station were opened at Ash Bank.
Though the Baddeley Railway was formed in 1839, it's origins lay in the wooden waggonways that had dotted the landscape around Baddiley since the late 1780s; the largest of which was owned by the Hawke Family and would later become the initial part of the Baddiley Railway. The new line was laid to a track gauge 4ft 8 1⁄2in (1,435 mm) and was initially going to be horse-drawn, though plans were changed to have the line be steam-powered after the opening of the Redwick & Knightsbury Railway the year prior. As such, the company ordered their first steam locomotive in December 1839 from George Forrester and Company, horses were used until the locomotive's arrival in March 1840 though they continued to be used on passenger trains until 1852.
As of 2025, an Andrew Barclay 0-4-0ST (Works №1388/1914 "Icarus") that was used on the Baddiley Railway is preserved, she was used on the railway between 1933 and 1936 due to a motive power crisis after being hired from F. J. Dalby & Sons of Cherringham, a nearby shunting contractor. №s 7 & 8 also survive though the latter has been rebuilt to her original condition. Along with three preserved chaldrons and a further six wagons and a brake van, remains of some stock can still be found in the () Valley, a single passenger coach also survives.
Assets
Locomotives (Pre - United Coke & Coal Board):
| Origin: | Class / Type: | Name: | Number: | Details: |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| George Forrester & Company | 0-4-0 | "Earl of Roxton" | 1 | Similar to the Forrester singles, though she instead was an 0-4-0 with inclined cylinders at the smokebox end. |
| Cellarhead Works (BR) | 0-4-0 | "Stanley Fell" | 2 | Copy of №1 "Earl of Roxton", later rebuilt as 0-4-0ST. |
| Cellarhead Works (BR) | 0-6-0 | "Hercules" | 3 | Like №s 1 & 2 she had inclined cylinders at the smokebox end. Built for the steeper Wetley Colliery Line. |
| Brotherhoods of Culcarden | 2-2-2WT | "Calton" | 4 | First locomotive built for passenger trains. |
| Cellarhead Works (BR) | 0-6-0 | "Sherrif" | 5 | Last locomotive built at Cellarhead Works. |
| Adcock, Bäcker & Robertson | 2-4-0 | "Black Bess" | 6 | Ex - Roxton & Cherringham Railway №5. Later rebuilt as 0-6-0T. |
| Fox, Walker & Company | 0-6-0ST | "Harper" | 7 | Works № 313/1876 |
| Laird, Payne & Company | 0-4-2T | "Lady Aurora" | 8 | Purchased 2nd hand from the Pickworth, Endon & Spen Green Railway. Formerly named "Sir Daniel". |
| Reginald Auden Locomotive Factory | "Auroch" Class 0-6-0T | "Eastmarch" | 9 |
26th September 1839 - 1st January 1946 (line leased by UCC), 30th April 1954 (line closed)
Type
Corporation, Transportation
Alternative Names
Lord Roxton's Railway
Founders
Location
Notable Members
Comments