Swansea Harbour Trust locomotive livery

[alan_williams]

With regard to the question of Swansea Harbour Trust locomotive livery, I have recently come across a bundle of SHT documents at the West Glam Archive Office, Swansea. Amongst the documents is a specification of a four-wheeled tank locomotive, produced by Andrew Barclay, Sons and Co., Limited, Kilmarnock; this is dated 21st. February 1905.

The specification (and accompanying Agreement) is for three 14" saddletanks, one of which might be familiar to some as GWR No.701/BR No.1140, the other two were sold to the Blaenavon Co. Ltd., about 1915, No.1140 surviving at Swansea East Dock shed until May 1958. These were Andrew Barclay numbers 1011, 1045 & 1046, all shown as despatched from Barclay on 28 May 1905 although clearly No.1011 must have been a stock item as it appears with other locomotives delivered in 1904. The specification continues: The Loco to be painted in a first-class manner, three coats of a lead colour, two coats of a colour approved by the proprietors, neatly lined and panelled, and finished with two coats of varnish. Name painted on sides of Tank if desired. Interestingly, 'approved by the proprietors' is struck out and 'same as that of Midland Railway Co' handwritten above. Clearly, the Harbour Trustees must have been impressed with the livery of those MRly tank engines from the Swansea yards of that company that would appear at the docks, daily.

These three locomotives, together with three Hudswell, Clarkes, also from 1905, were the first new engines that the SHT owned: previously it had relied on contractors locomotives to move its traffic, thus there was no Trust livery history for reference. Now, the MR had been using crimson lake on its engines since the mid-1890s and prior to that, 'loco light green'. So what was the colour that had so impressed the Trustees? I confess I don't know, although I suspect that those engines working the docks' traffic would not have qualified for a major repair and repaint every two or three years. My guess therefore would be MR green - others might take the other viewpoint. In any case, having read the specification, Barclay could well have contacted Derby, asked, livery-wise, what 'same as Midland Railway Co' meant in 1905, and, having received the latest information, duly surprised the Trustees when crimson lake locomotives appeared at the Prince of Wales' Dock that May!

For what it's worth, the specification also called for: Brass plate to be fitted to each loco bearing thereon the letters "S.H.T" (note the punctuation) and numbered 4.5.6. respectively; also a bell mounted on the top of the tank between the cab and dome and so connected that Fireman can ring it from the footplate.

Unfortunately, I have yet to come across anything for the Pecketts, or for Messrs. Powlesland and Mason.

I would be interested in what others may think.

[Newport_rod]

This topic created to contain postings on this subject previously posted under the topic Ebbw Vale livery

[alan_williams]

Further information on Swansea Harbour Trust locomotive livery can be found in "Hudswell Clarke & Company Ltd, Locomotive Works List", by Clive Hardy (Thomas Aleksandr, 1982). The first three locomotives ordered by the Trust (HC707, 724 & 725) all in May 1905, and each an 0-4-0ST, became SHT Nos. 1-3, each entry being annotated "painted midland red livery" and "fitted with bell, spark arrestor and removable back to cab". I can only guess that these three locos pre-dated the Barclays (SHT Nos. 4-6) by a few days.

Hardy attaches livery details to many entries and it appears that the Midland Red option was not limited to the three Swansea Harbour Trust examples. However, no lining is specified.

[Daifly]

For what it's worth, the specification also called for: Brass plate to be fitted to each loco bearing thereon the letters "S.H.T" (note the punctuation) and numbered 4.5.6. respectively; also a bell mounted on the top of the tank between the cab and dome and so connected that Fireman can ring it from the footplate.

A photo of AB1011/05 in my collection clearly shows S.H.T. No.4 lined out. It also shows that the tank side plate was not made to the specification!


Dave