Narrow Gauge and Industrial Railway Collection
History of the collection
To begin with the collection was envisaged as a small operation, demonstrating typical industrial narrow gauge trains. The first locomotive to arrive on site was the Motor Rail Hibberd 1980/1936, donated to the Museum by Southern Water and previously used at the City of Chichester Sewage Works at Apuldram, to the south of the City. Restoration, which included the removal of several layers what looked like mud but probably wasn't(!), was started by the late Peter Holland and after his death continued by Chas Thomas - seen here driving the locomotive on the occasion of the official recommissioning with members of Peter Holland's family on the "man-rider" wagon.
The first locomotive to actually run under its own power at Amberley was Peter Smith's Ruston & Hornsby 187081/1937, seen here shortly after its rebuilding. Note that the Museum was, at that time, very undeveloped - the corrugated building in the background is now our main railway workshops in which all our maintenance and restoration work is carried out.
Finally, in 1982, the local Thakeham Tiles company decided to dispense with their short narrow gauge railway in favour of a conveyor belt system (still in use for any conveyor belt gricers to see - is there such a person?). The company donated the entire railway, track, wagons and locos to the Museum on condition that they removed the whole thing over one weekend! It was done. Some of the track, one of the locos and the wagons are still in use at Amberley today. Thakeham Tiles No.4 is Hudson Hunslet 3653/1946. The rear end was rebuilt by Thakeham Tiles to enable the locomotive to enter a low building containing a wagon unloading hopper.
Hudson Hunslet 2208/1941 - Thakeham Tiles No.3 is also part of the collection. This originally worked at the Trevor Quarry Co in North Wales and after purchase by Thakeham Tiles, received the same cab modifications as No.4. Unless we can get spare parts for the Ailsa Craig engine, this second one is unlikely to run again for a very long time.
This was originally as far as development of the collection was to go until one day in 1982 ........
Page 2 continues the story from the amalgamation of the Amberley and Brockham Museum Trust's collection in 1982 to the present time.
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© Gerry Cork & Amberley Working Museum - February 2000
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