‘TAWD’.
Ruston & Hornsby Ltd, Works Number 222074, 4 Wheel Diesel Locomotive.
Formerly used at Burscough Brick and Tile Works, Burscough, Near Southport.
Some brief details of the history of Ruston & Hornsby Ltd. can be found in the information provided for the Trust’s locomotive ‘CLWYD’.
Locomotive Works Number 222074 was built in 1940 and is a 20DL locomotive (DL signifying a narrow gauge locomotive). These 20HP locomotives were produced in very large quantities and were the most common of Ruston & Hornsby’s narrow gauge classes. The locomotive was one of a large number ordered by the Ministry of Supply and intended for various military projects in the Second World War. After the War, many of these locomotives were surplus to requirements, some still in original packing crates, and were sold off for commercial use. It is not known if 222074 was used during the War, but it was acquired by the Burscough Brick & Tile Works Ltd and took over the operation of the railway in the clay pit from a small Lister petrol locomotive which was underpowered for the work required. As built, 222074 was cabless and was fitted with a toolbox at the rear of the locomotive. At Burscough a home-made wooden cab was made. This sat on the fuel tank in front of the driver and on the toolbox at the rear and could be easily lifted off to enable the locomotive to be cabless in hot weather.
The locomotive worked the clay pit railway reliably for many years, but by the early 1960s was becoming quite ‘tired’, with the wheels becoming very worn. The locomotive was replaced by 264251 by 1964 and was then stored in the brickworks’ lorry garage and did not work again at Burscough.
Tawd at the West Lancashire Light Railway’s 40th Anniversary celebration, August 2007 with four of the Trustees of the West Lancashire Locomotive Trust.
Soon after the acquisition of 264251 for preservation, the group of enthusiasts who, in due course, established the West Lancashire Locomotive Trust decided to save 222074 as well. The locomotive was also bought for £25 and moved to Hesketh Bank. It was decided to name the locomotive after the River Tawd which flows just to the north of Burscough. A small, brass ‘TAWD’ nameplate was made and fitted to the side of the toolbox. However, it was clear that the worn wheelsets needed replacing and an almost new pair of 2foot gauge wheelsets were acquired from the Welshpool & Llanfair Light Railway. These locomotives have three gears which are selected by a lever which operates a clutch for each gear. In industrial use there was a tendency for drivers of these narrow gauge locomotives to avoid using the very slow first gear and to start the train using second gear. This led to increased wear on this clutch. Over time the main bearings in the gearbox would also be subject to wear and the gearbox would become noisy. These have been gearbox issues that have had to be attended to in this locomotive in preservation. Because of the many years of heavy use, the main drive sprockets on the gearbox output shaft were also very worn. New sprockets were made and these were hardened at the former Mullard factory in Blowick, Southport.
Over the years, the locomotive has had engine overhauls and other repairs carried out and is restored closely to original cabless condition as delivered to the Ministry of Supply. The locomotive is in working order and operating on the West Lancashire Light Railway. It is a good representative of one of Ruston & Hornsby’s most successful narrow gauge locomotive types. In preservation, the locomotive has visited a few other venues, including spending a day operating the Garden Railway at the Statfold Barn Railway in Staffordshire.
