Andrew Barclay 2157

Introduction

The locomotive was originally ordered for service in one of the Royal Ordnance Factories during WW2. The locomotive was despatched from the Caledonia Works, Kilmarnock on 20/04/1943.

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After the end of hostilities in 1945 the need for armaments and munitions reduced, which led to a number of disposals of plant and equipment. This included locomotives and other railway equipment.

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Fife Coal Company Limited

The locomotive is recorded as arriving at Comrie Colliery by November 1946 having been purchased from ROF Swynnerton, Staffordshire. It did not stay at Comrie for very long and was recorded at Blairenbathie Colliery near Kelty prior to the nationalisation of the coal industry on 01/01/1947.

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Blairenbathie

Blairenbathie Colliery ceased coal winding in August 1962 and was abandoned underground by the end of 1962. No.47 (AB 2157) was sent to Cowdenbeath Central Workshops during 1963.

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Lindsay Colliery, Kelty

This comprised a shaft sunk in 1873 and two surface (drift) mines, No.1 sunk in 1924, No.2 sunk in 1945. The underground workings were connected to Aitken Colliery. Lindsay Colliery ceased coal winding in January 1965 but was retained for pumping purposes until 1967 when collieries to the east were closed.

AB 2157 was recorded here by May 1963 and remained until coal winding ceased.

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Kinglassie Colliery, between Thornton and Kelty

This comprised two shafts that started raising coal in 1908, later a surface (drift) mine was sunk in 1934 to access the upper productive coal measures. Coal winding ceased in November 1966 with final underground abandonment in 1967.

AB 2157 is recorded as having arrived at Cowdenbeath Central Workshops by November 1967 where it was decided to overhaul the locomotive for further use.

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Kinneil Colliery, Bo’ness

This a major re-development of the Furnace Yard Colliery that commenced in the early 1950s and was constructed on German coal mining principles with the intention of working coal seams in the lower limestone coal group under the River Forth. Unfortunately, the geological conditions experienced led to Kinneil linking up with Valleyfield Colliery in Fife with the Valleyfield coals being raised at Kinneil. The main product was coking coal destined for the Lanarkshire steel works. This continued until the late 1970s when the closure of several Open Hearth steel plants reduced the demand for coking coal and rail traffic from Kinneil ceased in 1979. The remaining colliery pugs were dispersed to other units. The colliery continued mostly in development underground to link into the Longannet complex so that the Upper Hirst coal measures could be worked. Some coal continued to be wound at Kinneil until closure took place in 1982, road transport being used to move this coal.

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AB 2157 was sent to Kinneil from Cowdenbeath after its overhaul and was recorded at Kinneil by December 1972.

It remained at Kinneil until it was sent back to Cowdenbeath Central Workshops during May/June 1976 for a decision on whether a further overhaul would be sanctioned. Subsequently it was decided to recover any usable parts for spares to support other operational Andrew Barclay locomotives and dispose of the locomotive for scrap.

 

Cowdenbeath Central Workshops

AB 2157 remained at Cowdenbeath until it was sold to Thomas Muir for scrap. This disposal took place between May and August 1977

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Preservation 

Later, in 1996 the locomotive was sold for preservation. Cadman (Staffordshire locomotives) acquired the locomotive to only pass it into the caring hands of J&H Parry & Sons Ltd in Astley, Shrewsbury.

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In August 1999, two supporters of the Mangapps Farm Railway came forward to purchase the locomotive and restored it to working order. They transported 2157 to Burnham-on-Crouch in Essex, where the locomotive was subsequently restored and has operated on the Mangapps Farm Railway. It had its last ten year overhaul in 2012.

The name Fambridge was added to the locomotive in 2014 and as of the summer of 2020 the locomotive was under overhaul.

 

The Bristol & Somerset Locomotive Company Limited brought the locomotive from John Jolly at the Mangapps Farm Railway during the summer of 2022 and we now need to conduct a comprehensive overhaul that includes substantial boiler work. The locomotive was temporarily stored at a private site in Wiltshire, before moving to the Swindon & Cricklade railway in early 2023. As of April 2024, the locomotive is currently being transferred to the Vale of Berkeley Railway to complete the overhaul. 

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Thanks to SRPS Member Kevin A. McCallum for providing us with this information and for his continued assistance.