Quarry Hunslet.

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River Lin
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Quarry Hunslet.

Post by River Lin » Mon Sep 21, 2020 4:10 pm

Hi all.
Having just completed a PDF models De Winton, I am making a start on one of their Port class quarry hunslets. I want to model it as Lady Madcap but before it was delivered to Dinorwic when it was named Sextus and working in the Groby granite quarry in Leicestershire, (Two miles away from my home), hauling granite from the rock face to the crusher.
Before being delivered to Dinorwic it had its cab removed to lower it's height. Can anybody tell or show me what it's original cab would have looked like on delivery from Hunslet and what colour might it have been.
David.
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Re: Quarry Hunslet.

Post by Soar Valley Light » Mon Sep 21, 2020 7:27 pm

Hi David,

Did Groby quarry have a narrow gauge system then? I never realised - a bit of a sad admission seeing as I only live about seven miles away myself!

All the best,

Andrew
"Smith! Why do you only come to work four days a week?
"'cause I can't manage on three gaffer!"

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River Lin
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Re: Quarry Hunslet.

Post by River Lin » Tue Sep 22, 2020 12:18 am

Hi Andrew.
In the booklet 'Groby and it's Railways' is the passage
". By 1893 a decision to use small 2' 0" gauge locomotives to take the granite from the working face to the crushing machines was taken. The first two small locomotives called 'Junior' and 'Sextus' were delivered in May and October of 1893."
It is explained that around and after1909 the quarry took delivery of four 0-6-0 NG locos, which included the replacement of the first two 0-4-0 locos. Two of which were given the same two original names. Sextus was taken back to be refurbished by Hunslet, had its cab removed, and sold on to the Dinorwic quarry company who gave it the name 'Lady Madcap.
She was subsequently used until worn out when she was then canabalised and parts used to keep others running it seems.
Parts that could be found have now been collected by the WHHR in Porthmadog where they are being combined again, with new frames, to recreate the loco as Lady Madcap. See their website.
If you Google- 'The Railway - The village of Groby.' There is a great little history of the village quarries.
David. (Anstey Leicestershire)
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River Lin
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Re: Quarry Hunslet.

Post by River Lin » Thu Sep 24, 2020 8:51 pm

Hi Andrew (et al)
I have found just one photo of one of the original hunslets (Junior) delivered to the Groby quarry. It is very faded but i love the cab detail, what little there is of it. I will also try to recreate the lettering on the tank side, or as much as i can make out anyway. I wonder what the original colour of the loco was.
IMG_20200924_203810.jpg
IMG_20200924_203810.jpg (82.82 KiB) Viewed 2488 times
(Groby and it's Railways)

David.
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Re: Quarry Hunslet.

Post by Soar Valley Light » Tue Sep 29, 2020 7:34 pm

Hi David,

Thanks for the additional information and link to the web site. It was very interesting, I'd no idea it had such a long history. I shall be paying much more attention to my surroundings next time I'm out that way.

All the best,

Andrew
"Smith! Why do you only come to work four days a week?
"'cause I can't manage on three gaffer!"

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