Hodbarrow Side Tipper – Historic Film
In 2009 I posted on the blog a short film made in the late 1960s by Jon Marsh. Having checked back on this I realised it was no longer visible on the site so here it is again…
The film shows operations at Hodbarrow and features an iron side tipper in the train as well as one stored alongside the line. The grab wagon also appears to be based on the same underframe. It is worth absorbing the atmosphere of this film – it is exactly what I would like our own Colliery Railway to feel like – and we are now well on the way to getting that sensation!
Jon made extensive films of industrial railways through the 1960s and has made his film available through the B&R range as well as his own Industrial Railway DVDs – a Google search will soon bring you to the material and it forms a wide ranging and important archive. Jon also filmed the Lewin at work and this is of particular interest to those of us who have lived with the restoration project over the last six years! Our thanks to Jon for allowing us to use the film on this site.
Real memory-jerker! Spent many happy hours at Hodbarrow 1965-68 and was one of the group that rescued the Avonside loco and wagons.
I knew the Avonside’s crew – the old man in the beret was Fred and the driver, seen later in the flat cap, was Jack who appears in one of my Flickr photos.
The steam grab with new corrugated cab sheeting was the Samuel Butler of Leeds example and was brought back into use in 1966 when the Thos Smith (crane in foreground)grab’s boiler was condemned.
Thanks very much for making this vid available of one of the best and most atmospheric industrials anywhere in Britain.
Hi Ted – very good to hear from you! One question I was going to get around to asking you or Dave was do you know the maker of the tipper? There is a section on the platework of the body where two holes within the shape of an oval appear so presumably it has in the past carried a works plate (or perhaps a number plate?). Dave states it as being waggon no.96 so perhaps this is where the information came from? I can thoroughly recommend Jon Marsh’s films – the industrial railway ones are terrific and there is quite a bit more of Hodbarrow on there including Snipey in action…
Hi Ted, I’m one of the owners of 1563 which is currently under restoration at the Foxfield Railway, if you want to come and have a look at her, get in touch. I know that we would be interested to talk to you about the engine. You might also be interested to see the state of the boiler. Paul. if you fancy a Hodbarrow 1968 event in a few years time with the tipper and a grab i’m sure we would be interested.
Hi Mark – I’m certainly interested in that! I have in the past inquired about Snipey though understand that there were plans to reopen the museum at Lytham. I think Ted has photos of your loco on his Flickr pages?
Hi Paul, I thought you might be. Yes I understood that to, although I haven’t heard any more about it. Yes I have had a look at them, he has some good pictures of the place. Also good to see a picture of 1563 at Pemberton. Wouldn’t mind having a good look at the side tipper next time im up at Beamish.