Bowaters Paper Railway

{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2020}}

{{more citations needed|date=December 2024}}

{{Infobox rail|railroad_name=Bowaters Paper Railway

|gauge={{RailGauge|2ft6in|lk=on}}

|length= {{convert|10|mi|km|1}}

|start_year=1906

|end_year=1969

|hq_city=Sittingbourne

|locale=England

|system_map=BowatersMap.png

|map_size=250px

}}

{{Bowaters line}}

The Bowaters Paper Railway was a {{RailGauge|2ft6in|lk=on}} narrow gauge industrial railway running from Sittingbourne to Ridham Dock on The Swale in the county of Kent. It had the distinction of being the last steam-operated industrial narrow gauge railway in Britain when it closed in 1969. Part of the system still operates as the Sittingbourne & Kemsley Light Railway.

History

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File:Bowaters Paper Railway-old map.jpg

The manufacture of paper at Sittingbourne dates back to the seventeenth century. The paper mill was originally supplied with raw materials by barges that sailed to wharves at the head of Milton Creek. A short horse-hauled tramway moved pulp to the mill. Two steam locomotives were introduced in 1908.

In 1913, as Milton Creek began to silt up, the paper making company began work on the construction of Ridham Dock, a deepwater facility on the Swale estuary, where seagoing ships could unload raw materials and load finished paper products. At the start of the First World War the railway and the dock was taken over by the Admiralty and the railway was extended to connect the dock. After the end of the war the railway was returned to the paper company. In 1924 a second paper mill opened at Kemsley Down, and further extended in 1936. By this time, the railway reached its maximum length of {{convert|10|mi|km}}. There was also a Standard gauge system around Kemsley and Ridham Dock that was connected to the Sheerness line near Swale.

Closure, preservation and uncertain future

In 1969, a time and motion study by the then owners, The Bowater Paper Corporation (Bowater), resulted in the closure of the railway. By this time the railway was the last industrial narrow gauge railway in Britain operating steam locomotives and, until withdrawn from 30 September 1969, had operated a scheduled passenger service for its employees between the Sittingbourne mill and Ridham Dock.Journal of the Stephenson Locomotive Society Dec 1968 p.380 Bowaters had a "handing over" ceremony to the news lessees, the Locomotive Club of Great Britain (LCGB),{{cite web |url=http://www.lcgb.org.uk/ |title=Home |website=lcgb.org.uk}} on 4 October 1969 but continued running its goods trains until the final one on 25 October 1969. The LCGB was granted a lease of the southern portion of the railway between Sittingbourne and Kemsley Down in 1970. Much of the rest of the equipment went to form the Great Whipsnade Railway. The LCGB formed the Sittingbourne and Kemsley Light Railway Company to operate the railway. The company operates the railway under the name Sittingbourne & Kemsley Light Railway (S&KLR).

{{-}}

Locomotives

class="wikitable sortable"
Name

!Builder

!Wheel arrangement

!Gauge

!Works Number

!Built

!Notes

!Photograph

Alpha

|W.G. Bagnall

|{{nowrap|{{whyte|0-6-2|T}}}}

|2 ft 6 in (762 mm)

|2472

|1932

|Undergoing cosmetic overhaul at the SKLR.

|File:SKLR Alpha.JPG

Chevalier

|Manning Wardle

|{{nowrap|{{whyte|0-6-2|T}}}}

|2 ft 6 in (762 mm)

|1877

|1915

|Acquired from the Chattenden and Upnor Railway in 1950. Sold to the Great Whipsnade Railway, later resold to Bill Parker.

|

Conqueror

|W.G. Bagnall

|{{nowrap|{{whyte|0-6-2|T}}}}

|2 ft 6 in (762 mm)

|2192

|1922

|Sold to the Great Whipsnade Railway, now part of the Vale of Rheidol Railway Museum Collection.

|

Excelsior

|Kerr Stuart

|{{nowrap|{{whyte|0-4-2|ST}}}}

|2 ft 6 in (762 mm)

|1049

|1908

|Sold to the Great Whipsnade Railway in 1968–1970.

|File:EXCELSIOR A1.JPG

Jubilee

|W.G. Bagnall

|{{nowrap|{{whyte|0-4-0|ST}}}}

|4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm)

|2542

|1936

|Now at the East Anglian Railway Museum.

|

Leader

|Kerr Stuart

|{{nowrap|{{whyte|0-4-2|ST}}}}

|2 ft 6 in (762 mm)

|926

|1905

|Under overhaul on the SKLR.{{cite web |title=This week (16th-22nd May) |url=https://www.sklr.net/this-week-16th-22nd-may/ |website=www.sklr.net |date=18 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220518181830/https://www.sklr.net/this-week-16th-22nd-may/ |access-date=18 May 2022|archive-date=18 May 2022 }}

|File:Leader awaiting to depart.jpg

Melior

|Kerr Stuart

|{{nowrap|{{whyte|0-4-2|ST}}}}

|2 ft 6 in (762 mm)

|4219

|1924

|Operational on the SKLR.

|File:Melior at Preston.JPG

Monarch

|W.G. Bagnall

|{{nowrap|{{whyte|0-4-4-0|T}}}}

|2 ft 6 in (762 mm)

|3024

|1953

|Sold to the Welshpool and Llanfair Light Railway in 1966.

|File:Monarch Llanfair Caereinion Welshpool & Llanfair '76 (31977941251).jpg

Pioneer

|Manning Wardle

|{{nowrap|{{whyte|0-4-0|T}}}}

|4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm)

|942

|1885

|Acquired from Smith, Patterson & Co Ltd, Blaydon in 1943. Scrapped in 1954.

|

Pioneer II

|Ashford

|{{nowrap|{{whyte|0-6-0|T}}}}

|4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm)

|

|1910

|SECR P class no.178. Acquired from BR in 1958. Sold to the Bluebell Railway in 1969.

|File:SECR P class 178 at Sheffield Park.jpg.]]

Premier

|Kerr Stuart

|{{nowrap|{{whyte|0-4-2|ST}}}}

|2 ft 6 in (762 mm)

|886

|1905

|Operational on the SKLR.

|File:SKLR Premier.JPG

Superb

|W.G. Bagnall

|{{nowrap|{{whyte|0-6-2|T}}}}

|2 ft 6 in (762 mm)

|2624

|1940

|Under overhaul on the SKLR.

|File:Superb awaits to leave Sittingbourne Viaduct Station.jpg

Superior

|Kerr Stuart

|{{nowrap|{{whyte|0-6-2|T}}}}

|2 ft 6 in (762 mm)

|4043

|1920

|Sold to the Great Whipsnade Railway in 1968–1970.

|File:Steam engine at Whipsnade Zoo, Bedfordshire, England-12April2012.jpg

Triumph

|W.G. Bagnall

|{{nowrap|{{whyte|0-6-2|T}}}}

|2 ft 6 in (762 mm)

|2511

|1934

|On display at the SKLR.

|File:SKLR Triumph3.JPG

Unique

|W.G. Bagnall

|{{nowrap|{{whyte|2-4-0|F}}}}

|2 ft 6 in (762 mm)

|2216

|1924

|A rare narrow gauge fireless locomotive. On display at the SKLR.

|File:SKKLR Unique.JPG

Victor

|W.G. Bagnall

|{{nowrap|{{whyte|0-4-0|F}}}}

|2 ft 6 in (762 mm)

|2366

|1929

|A rare narrow gauge fireless locomotive. Scrapped in 1967.

|

Rattler

| W.G. Bagnall

| {{nowrap|{{whyte|0-4-0|T}}}}

|2 ft 6 in (762 mm)

|1978

|1913

|Acquired from the Cape Copper Company, Swansea in 1942. Loco was in poor condition and did little work. Scrapped in 1950.{{cite journal |last=Neale |first=Andrew |title=Must we let this be swept away? |journal=Heritage Railway |volume=116 |date=2 October 2008|pages=42–46}}

|

-

|Hudson Hunslet

|{{nowrap|{{whyte|4w|DM}}}}

|2 ft 6 in (762 mm)

|4182

|1953

|Operational on the S&KLR with the name Victor.

|200px

The Tank

|English Electric

|{{nowrap|{{whyte|4w|BE}}}}

|2 ft 6 in (762 mm)

|515

|1921

|Scrapped in 1969.

|

-

|Robert Stephenson and Hawthorns

|{{nowrap|{{whyte|6w|DM}}}}

|4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm)

|2603/7889

|1957

|Class 04 D2259, acquired from BR in 1968. Scrapped in 1978.

|

-

|Vulcan Foundry

|{{nowrap|{{whyte|6w|DM}}}}

|4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm)

|2551/D277

|1955

|Class 04 D2228, acquired from BR in 1969. Scrapped in 1979.

|

See also

References

  • {{cite book| author=Thomas, C.S.| year=1995| title=The Whipsnade & Umfolozi Railway and the Great Whipsnade Railway| publisher=The Oakwood Press|isbn=0-85361-478-4}}
  • {{cite book|author1=Mitchell, Vic |author2=Smith, Keith |name-list-style=amp | title=Kent Narrow Gauge| publisher=Middleton Press| year=2000| isbn=978-1-901706-45-1 }}
  • {{cite web |url=http://www.ngrm.org.uk/narrow_gauge/narrow_gauge.php?railway_id=86 |title=Narrow Gauge Railway Museum article on Bowaters Paper Railway}}