Earl Fitzwilliam's private railway
Encyclopedia
Earl Fitzwilliam's private railway near Rotherham
, South Yorkshire
was constructed in order to link the Earl's coal interests, to the southeast of his Wentworth estate
, with the Greasbrough Canal
, also owned by his estate, which gave an outlet to the River Dun (Don) Navigation
.
This was not the first connection between the coal pits, at that time owned by the Marquess of Rockingham
, and the canal for in the middle years of the 18th century a wagonway had been built to link the Bassingthorpe pits to the newly opened "Rotherham Cut" of the River Dun Navigation. The Greasbrough Canal, connecting to the navigation on the boundaries of Rotherham and Parkgate
, was opened in 1780 to serve the Marquess's interests and the wagonways from his coal pits at Bassingthorpe were diverted to the canal head. Two years later the Marquess died and the estate passed to his nephew, Earl Fitzwilliam
.
The Earl owned coal pits at High Stubbin and Swallow Wood and these pits were, from the early 19th century, joined by a wagonway to the Greasbrough Canal. In 1839 the Sheffield and Rotherham Railway
opened a branch from its main line at Holmes, opened the previous year, to join with the Earl's railway at Parkgate. This line ran alongside the construction works of the North Midland Railway
before joining the canal bank. This connection broke the near monopoly of the Duke of Norfolk
's estate in supplying coal to the developing industries of the city and gave the Earl's coal a competitive edge in the market place.
In 1840 the estate bought a six-coupled steam locomotive for use on the line and to accommodate this the wagonway was rebuilt.
A connection was made from the North Midland Railway to the Earl's line which rendered the branch from Holmes redundant. This connection was closed in 1977, a year before New Stubbin Colliery
itself. The Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway
constructed a line from Rotherham Road
, alongside the canal and below the North Midland line, to reach the canal head. The line opened in 1873 and the agreement between the Earl's Colliery Company and the M.S.& L. terminated on 31 December 1978 when the line closed.
The line can be divided into two sections, both originally rope worked. The lower section which served New Stubbin Colliery, sunk between 1913 and 1915, changed to locomotive working.
Its last steam locomotives were two examples built by Hudswell Clarke
& Co. of Leeds; No. 34 was an outside cylinder, six-coupled side tank locomotive, works No.1523, built in 1925, and delivered new to the Appleby-Frodingham Steel Company
in Scunthorpe, which came to the line in the 1950s; and No. 37, an outside cylinder, six-coupled saddle tank. They worked until the mid-1960s when the line became fully dieselised, Hudswell Clarke again supplying the power.
Rotherham
Rotherham is a town in South Yorkshire, England. It lies on the River Don, at its confluence with the River Rother, between Sheffield and Doncaster. Rotherham, at from Sheffield City Centre, is surrounded by several smaller settlements, which together form the wider Metropolitan Borough of...
, South Yorkshire
South Yorkshire
South Yorkshire is a metropolitan county in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England. It has a population of 1.29 million. It consists of four metropolitan boroughs: Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham, and City of Sheffield...
was constructed in order to link the Earl's coal interests, to the southeast of his Wentworth estate
Wentworth Woodhouse
Wentworth Woodhouse is a Grade I listed country house near the village of Wentworth, in the vicinity of Rotherham, South Yorkshire, England. "One of the great Whig political palaces", its East Front, long, is the longest country house façade in Europe. The house includes 365 rooms and covers an...
, with the Greasbrough Canal
Greasbrough Canal
The Greasbrough Canal was a private canal built by the Marquess of Rockingham to serve his coal mining interests in and around the village of Greasbrough, near Rotherham, South Yorkshire, England. It opened in 1780, and the Newbiggin branch was built some time later...
, also owned by his estate, which gave an outlet to the River Dun (Don) Navigation
River Don Navigation
The River Don Navigation was the result of early efforts to make the River Don in South Yorkshire, England, navigable between Fishlake and Sheffield...
.
This was not the first connection between the coal pits, at that time owned by the Marquess of Rockingham
Marquess of Rockingham
Marquess of Rockingham was a title in the Peerage of Great Britain. It was created in 1746 for Thomas Watson-Wentworth, 1st Earl of Malton. The Watson family descended from Lewis Watson, Member of Parliament for Lincoln. He was created a Baronet, of Rockingham Castle in the County of Northampton,...
, and the canal for in the middle years of the 18th century a wagonway had been built to link the Bassingthorpe pits to the newly opened "Rotherham Cut" of the River Dun Navigation. The Greasbrough Canal, connecting to the navigation on the boundaries of Rotherham and Parkgate
Parkgate, Rotherham
Parkgate is located in South Yorkshire, England. It has since been consumed by its neighbour Rawmarsh, from which it has been indistinguishable since the early 20th century...
, was opened in 1780 to serve the Marquess's interests and the wagonways from his coal pits at Bassingthorpe were diverted to the canal head. Two years later the Marquess died and the estate passed to his nephew, Earl Fitzwilliam
William FitzWilliam, 4th Earl FitzWilliam
William Wentworth-Fitzwilliam, 4th Earl Fitzwilliam PC , styled Viscount Milton until 1756, was a British Whig statesman of the late 18th and early 19th centuries. In 1782 he inherited his uncle Charles Watson-Wentworth, 2nd Marquess of Rockingham's estates, making him one of the richest people in...
.
The Earl owned coal pits at High Stubbin and Swallow Wood and these pits were, from the early 19th century, joined by a wagonway to the Greasbrough Canal. In 1839 the Sheffield and Rotherham Railway
Sheffield and Rotherham Railway
The Sheffield and Rotherham Railway was a short railway between Sheffield and Rotherham and the first in the two towns.In the early nineteenth century, when news broke of the building of the North Midland Railway, it was clear that George Stephenson would follow the gentle gradient of the Rivers...
opened a branch from its main line at Holmes, opened the previous year, to join with the Earl's railway at Parkgate. This line ran alongside the construction works of the North Midland Railway
North Midland Railway
The North Midland Railway was a British railway company, which opened its line from Derby to Rotherham and Leeds in 1840.At Derby it connected with the Birmingham and Derby Junction Railway and the Midland Counties Railway at what became known as the Tri Junct Station...
before joining the canal bank. This connection broke the near monopoly of the Duke of Norfolk
Duke of Norfolk
The Duke of Norfolk is the premier duke in the peerage of England, and also, as Earl of Arundel, the premier earl. The Duke of Norfolk is, moreover, the Earl Marshal and hereditary Marshal of England. The seat of the Duke of Norfolk is Arundel Castle in Sussex, although the title refers to the...
's estate in supplying coal to the developing industries of the city and gave the Earl's coal a competitive edge in the market place.
In 1840 the estate bought a six-coupled steam locomotive for use on the line and to accommodate this the wagonway was rebuilt.
A connection was made from the North Midland Railway to the Earl's line which rendered the branch from Holmes redundant. This connection was closed in 1977, a year before New Stubbin Colliery
New Stubbin Colliery
New Stubbin Colliery was a coal mine situated in the township of Rawmarsh near Rotherham, South Yorkshire, England. The colliery was situated in a deep valley...
itself. The Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway
Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway
The Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway was formed by amalgamation in 1847. The MS&LR changed its name to the Great Central Railway in 1897 in anticipation of the opening in 1899 of its London Extension.-Origin:...
constructed a line from Rotherham Road
Rotherham Road railway station
Rotherham Road railway station, named Park Gate until 1 November 1895, was a railway station situated in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, England...
, alongside the canal and below the North Midland line, to reach the canal head. The line opened in 1873 and the agreement between the Earl's Colliery Company and the M.S.& L. terminated on 31 December 1978 when the line closed.
The line can be divided into two sections, both originally rope worked. The lower section which served New Stubbin Colliery, sunk between 1913 and 1915, changed to locomotive working.
Its last steam locomotives were two examples built by Hudswell Clarke
Hudswell Clarke
Hudswell, Clarke and Company Limited was an engineering and locomotive building company in Jack Lane, Hunslet, Leeds, West Yorkshire, England.-History:...
& Co. of Leeds; No. 34 was an outside cylinder, six-coupled side tank locomotive, works No.1523, built in 1925, and delivered new to the Appleby-Frodingham Steel Company
Appleby-Frodingham Steel Company
The Appleby-Frodingham Steel Company was formed in 1912 by a take over of the Appleby Ironworks by the Frodingham Ironworks. Both of these companies, located in villages near Scunthorpe, in North Lincolnshire, are amongst the areas oldest iron producers....
in Scunthorpe, which came to the line in the 1950s; and No. 37, an outside cylinder, six-coupled saddle tank. They worked until the mid-1960s when the line became fully dieselised, Hudswell Clarke again supplying the power.