No5 “Elementary" Queenborough 25th July 1994
No 5 “Elementary’ waiting at Shipbreaker's Ltd Wharf on the River Swale, Medway with an old and twisted bogie flat wagon. It was built by English Electric at their Vulcan Works in Newton-le-Willows as works No D1229 in 1967 and started its shunting career working at the Fords Dagenham car plant before being transferred to this line on the Isle of Sheppy in June 1991. This location was used for breaking up ships and a few steam locomotives in the 1960’s along with a batch of Class 03 & 04 shunting loco’s in the early 1970’s. Eight of these were also exported to Italy from here in 1972. The yard was at the end of a mile+ long branch from the Queenborough Rolling Mill where the line was connected to the network. The rolling mill received old rails etc that arrived by ship and by rail and after transfer to the mill rolled to produce steel rebar for use in reinforced concrete. The rebar was despatched by ship, rail and road using the old secondhand railway locomotives and wagons for movements between the works and the jetty. The line to the jetty shut sometime in the late 90’s, the steel for the rebar then being imported as billets through Sheerness. Queenborough Rolling Mill, ultimately became Invicta Merchant Bar Ltd and finally shut in February 2013 with the loss of nearly 80 jobs. The site has sine been demolished and all rails lifted. I wish I had returned to this fascinating old part of the system but my interest was more on mainline railways at the time.
More information here: Queenborough Rolling Mill & Railway Website.
Kodachrome 64 Slide Scan (35mm)
No5 “Elementary" Queenborough 25th July 1994
No 5 “Elementary’ waiting at Shipbreaker's Ltd Wharf on the River Swale, Medway with an old and twisted bogie flat wagon. It was built by English Electric at their Vulcan Works in Newton-le-Willows as works No D1229 in 1967 and started its shunting career working at the Fords Dagenham car plant before being transferred to this line on the Isle of Sheppy in June 1991. This location was used for breaking up ships and a few steam locomotives in the 1960’s along with a batch of Class 03 & 04 shunting loco’s in the early 1970’s. Eight of these were also exported to Italy from here in 1972. The yard was at the end of a mile+ long branch from the Queenborough Rolling Mill where the line was connected to the network. The rolling mill received old rails etc that arrived by ship and by rail and after transfer to the mill rolled to produce steel rebar for use in reinforced concrete. The rebar was despatched by ship, rail and road using the old secondhand railway locomotives and wagons for movements between the works and the jetty. The line to the jetty shut sometime in the late 90’s, the steel for the rebar then being imported as billets through Sheerness. Queenborough Rolling Mill, ultimately became Invicta Merchant Bar Ltd and finally shut in February 2013 with the loss of nearly 80 jobs. The site has sine been demolished and all rails lifted. I wish I had returned to this fascinating old part of the system but my interest was more on mainline railways at the time.
More information here: Queenborough Rolling Mill & Railway Website.
Kodachrome 64 Slide Scan (35mm)