Haigh Foundry
Encyclopedia
The Haigh Foundry was leased in 1835 by E.Evans and T.C.Ryley in Haigh
, Lancashire
. It had initially been established in the Douglas Valley, in Haigh
, circa 1790 by Alexander Lindsay, 6th Earl of Balcarres and his brother Robert as an ironworks and foundry. The ironworks was not a success but the foundry was, particularly after Robert Daglish
became chief engineer in 1804, and the works acquired a reputation for manufacturing winding engines and pumping equipment for the mining industry. Evans and Ryley leased the property for 21 years with the intention of producing of railway locomotives. They were later joined by a Mr Burrows.
Lancashire's first three steam locomotives were built here in 1812, 1815 and 1816 for John Clarke's Winstanley Colliery Railway at Orrell. In 1819, the firm built an 84" cylinder Cornish beam engine and beam engines were exported to the colonies before 1820.
After 1835 it built 0-4-0
and 2-2-0
type locomotives, many subcontracted from Edward Bury and Company. In 1837, Ajax was supplied to the Leicester and Swannington Railway
, followed by Hector, an 0-6-0
so powerful that orders were received from a number of other railways.
The company built two broad gauge locomotives for the Great Western Railway
with upward gearing in 1838 but these were not successful and the gearing was removed around 1840. Four more 4-4-0 saddle tanks for the South Devon Railway
were built to a design by Daniel Gooch
in the 1850s (Damon, Falcon, Orion and Priam). The works continued to build locomotives on their own account, and under sub-contract. Among these were long boiler types
for Jones and Potts and three for T.R.Crampton
.
In 1855 two 0-8-0
locomotives were said to have been built for use in the Crimean War
to haul guns up inclines as steep as 1 in 10; with horizontal cylindrical furnaces rather than a rectangular firebox and the boiler fed by force pumps. They were described as having outside cylinders driving the third set of wheels, while two pairs were flangeless. If any such engines had been built at that time, they would have created a sensation, but the above description is from the only reference to them: a very unreliable list concocted in the 1890s. No such engines were recorded in the Crimea, nor anywhere else, and it must be concluded that they were never built.
Until the lease expired in 1856, Haigh Foundry had built over 100 locomotives as well as the swing bridges for Hull Docks, ironwork for Albert Dock, Liverpool and some massive pumping engines - the one at Mostyn Colliery
, Flintshire having a 100" bore cylinder and believed when built in 1848 to have the largest cylinders in the world.
The new lessees, Birley & Thompson, concentrated on heavy engineering but did make at least two more locomotives and quoted unsuccessfully for the Festiniog Railway's 'Prince' class. Amongst stationary engines from this period were a 100" x 14 ft stroke beam engine for Talargoch Lead Mine (the engine house survives) and a 1000 h.p. McNaught compound beam engine for a cotton spinning mill. Other examples could be found in many Lancashire collieries.
Until 1860, everything that Haigh Foundry made had to be hauled up the steep and twisting Leyland Mill Lane. Teams of up to 48 horses were needed, many hired from local farmers. However a railway line was built from the Earl of Crawford & Balcarres' colliery network at Aspull in 1860. This line was replaced in 1869 by a link from the new Lancashire Union 'Whelley' loop.
The foundry continued to design and build large winding, pumping and mill engines, heavy engineering and architectural castings until early 1885. The firm's assets were sold in September of that year. Many of the buildings survive along with both cast iron bridges used by the works railway line. Part of the premises is still an iron foundry, though on a somewhat smaller scale.
Haigh
Haigh may refer to:Places*Haigh, Greater Manchester, England - a village*Haigh, West Yorkshire, England - a villagePeople*Christopher Haigh, British historian*Philip A...
, Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
. It had initially been established in the Douglas Valley, in Haigh
Haigh, Greater Manchester
Haigh is a village and civil parish of the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan in Greater Manchester, England. Historically a part of Lancashire, it is located next to the village of Aspull. The western boundary is the River Douglas which separates the township from Wigan. To the north a small brook...
, circa 1790 by Alexander Lindsay, 6th Earl of Balcarres and his brother Robert as an ironworks and foundry. The ironworks was not a success but the foundry was, particularly after Robert Daglish
Robert Daglish
Robert Daglish was an English steam engineer.Robert Daglish was born in Northumberland but by 1804 had moved to Wigan, Lancashire as engineer and manager of the Haigh Ironworks of the Earl of Balcarres...
became chief engineer in 1804, and the works acquired a reputation for manufacturing winding engines and pumping equipment for the mining industry. Evans and Ryley leased the property for 21 years with the intention of producing of railway locomotives. They were later joined by a Mr Burrows.
Lancashire's first three steam locomotives were built here in 1812, 1815 and 1816 for John Clarke's Winstanley Colliery Railway at Orrell. In 1819, the firm built an 84" cylinder Cornish beam engine and beam engines were exported to the colonies before 1820.
After 1835 it built 0-4-0
0-4-0
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 0-4-0 represents one of the simplest possible types, that with two axles and four coupled wheels, all of which are driven...
and 2-2-0
2-2-0
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 2-2-0 represents the wheel arrangement of two leading wheels on one axle, two powered driving wheels on one axle, and no trailing wheels...
type locomotives, many subcontracted from Edward Bury and Company. In 1837, Ajax was supplied to the Leicester and Swannington Railway
Leicester and Swannington Railway
The Leicester and Swannington Railway was one of England's first railways, being opened on 17 July 1832 to bring coal from collieries in west Leicestershire to Leicester.-Overview:...
, followed by Hector, an 0-6-0
0-6-0
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 0-6-0 represents the wheel arrangement of no leading wheels, six powered and coupled driving wheels on three axles, and no trailing wheels...
so powerful that orders were received from a number of other railways.
The company built two broad gauge locomotives for the Great Western Railway
Great Western Railway
The Great Western Railway was a British railway company that linked London with the south-west and west of England and most of Wales. It was founded in 1833, received its enabling Act of Parliament in 1835 and ran its first trains in 1838...
with upward gearing in 1838 but these were not successful and the gearing was removed around 1840. Four more 4-4-0 saddle tanks for the South Devon Railway
South Devon Railway Company
The South Devon Railway Company built and operated the railway from Exeter to Plymouth and Torquay in Devon, England. It was a broad gauge railway built by Isambard Kingdom Brunel-Chronology:* 1844 South Devon Railway Act passed by parliament...
were built to a design by Daniel Gooch
Daniel Gooch
Sir Daniel Gooch, 1st Baronet was an English railway and transatlantic cable engineer and Conservative politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1865 to 1885...
in the 1850s (Damon, Falcon, Orion and Priam). The works continued to build locomotives on their own account, and under sub-contract. Among these were long boiler types
Long Boiler locomotive
The Long Boiler locomotive was the object of a patent by Robert Stephenson and the name became synonymous with the pattern.-History:It is generally perceived that it arose out of attempts to match the power of broad gauge locomotives within the limitations of the loading gauge of Stephenson railways...
for Jones and Potts and three for T.R.Crampton
Crampton locomotive
A Crampton locomotive is a type of steam locomotive designed by Thomas Russell Crampton and built by various firms from 1846. The main British builders were Tulk and Ley and Robert Stephenson and Company....
.
In 1855 two 0-8-0
0-8-0
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 0-8-0 represents the wheel arrangement of no leading wheels, eight powered and coupled driving wheels on four axles, and no trailing wheels...
locomotives were said to have been built for use in the Crimean War
Crimean War
The Crimean War was a conflict fought between the Russian Empire and an alliance of the French Empire, the British Empire, the Ottoman Empire, and the Kingdom of Sardinia. The war was part of a long-running contest between the major European powers for influence over territories of the declining...
to haul guns up inclines as steep as 1 in 10; with horizontal cylindrical furnaces rather than a rectangular firebox and the boiler fed by force pumps. They were described as having outside cylinders driving the third set of wheels, while two pairs were flangeless. If any such engines had been built at that time, they would have created a sensation, but the above description is from the only reference to them: a very unreliable list concocted in the 1890s. No such engines were recorded in the Crimea, nor anywhere else, and it must be concluded that they were never built.
Until the lease expired in 1856, Haigh Foundry had built over 100 locomotives as well as the swing bridges for Hull Docks, ironwork for Albert Dock, Liverpool and some massive pumping engines - the one at Mostyn Colliery
Mostyn Colliery
Mostyn Colliery was a pioneering coal mine in Flintshire, North Wales, which was owned in the later part of its operating life by the influential Mostyn family. The mine was located on the banks of the River Dee.-Early history:...
, Flintshire having a 100" bore cylinder and believed when built in 1848 to have the largest cylinders in the world.
The new lessees, Birley & Thompson, concentrated on heavy engineering but did make at least two more locomotives and quoted unsuccessfully for the Festiniog Railway's 'Prince' class. Amongst stationary engines from this period were a 100" x 14 ft stroke beam engine for Talargoch Lead Mine (the engine house survives) and a 1000 h.p. McNaught compound beam engine for a cotton spinning mill. Other examples could be found in many Lancashire collieries.
Until 1860, everything that Haigh Foundry made had to be hauled up the steep and twisting Leyland Mill Lane. Teams of up to 48 horses were needed, many hired from local farmers. However a railway line was built from the Earl of Crawford & Balcarres' colliery network at Aspull in 1860. This line was replaced in 1869 by a link from the new Lancashire Union 'Whelley' loop.
The foundry continued to design and build large winding, pumping and mill engines, heavy engineering and architectural castings until early 1885. The firm's assets were sold in September of that year. Many of the buildings survive along with both cast iron bridges used by the works railway line. Part of the premises is still an iron foundry, though on a somewhat smaller scale.