News - Hopes raised for a Doncaster railway museum

PLANS are being drawn up which could lead to Doncaster finally having a permanent railway museum.


A collection of rare memorabilia - described as ‘amazing’ - has been uncovered and talks are under way over the possibility of using it as the centrepiece of a visitor attraction.

Doncaster was one of the most important railway towns in the 20th century, with the Plantworks in Hexthorpe manufacturing some of the most famous steam locomotives in the world - including the Flying Scotsman and the Mallard.

But despite its long and illustrious tradition, many high profile figures in the borough, including elected mayor Peter Davies, have voiced concern about the lack of anywhere in the town which reflects its heritage.

Mr Davies has seen the collection which is being lined up to go on display and is keen for something to be arranged.

He has held talks with the collection’s owner, Doncaster Council’s tourism manager Colin Joy and the National Railway Museum.

Mr Joy said: “We met with the National Railway Museum last week. They came to Doncaster to discuss establishing a closer relationship.

“We would like to create something more permanent that celebrates Doncaster’s railway history.

“It is early days and we have spoken with the trustees of the collection we have found in Doncaster.

“The director of the NRM who had never seen it before was amazed by the collection. There are things that pre-date the NRM’s collection in York.

“If we can find the right location, the owners would like to put the collection on display. The NRM did agree that the ideal place was for it to stay in Doncaster.

“It is an amazing collection.”

The collection includes locomotive name plates, parts of engines, funnels from early locomotives, and signs from stations across the country.

The scheme is the latest railway related project tourism bosses have examined. There are also plans to build a new steam engine in the borough - similar to the construction of the engine Tornado in Darlington.

Tornado was initially planned by enthusiasts who met in Doncaster.

The engine which would be built in Doncaster would be the P2 class of engine, called Cock O‘The North.

Last month Mayor Peter Davies revealed he was hoping for Doncaster to borrow the Mallard from the National Railway Museum next year to mark the 75th anniversary of it setting the world speed record for a steam engine.

He said: “We have discovered a treasure trove of railway memorabilia which may be put on public display.”

Property consultants have in the past suggested the former railway buildings at Denison House, overlooking the railway lines, as a venue for a railway themed attraction.

From: http://www.thestar.co.uk/news/hopes-raised-for-a-doncaster-railway-museum-1-4606762

The first thing they should do it rescue 56031 from Crewe before EMR scraps her!

Article - Down memory lane with Peter Tuffrey (Doncaster)

Doncaster’s character was completely altered by the coming of the railways.

In the 1850s it was a quiet market town with a population of just under 6,000 people but by the turn of the century it had been transformed into a busy industrial centre with a population of 30,000.

People from Lancashire, Nottinghamshire, East Anglia, the South East and Midlands converged on Doncaster to find work with the town’s new industry.

They settled in scores of terrace houses built in Hyde Park and Hexthorpe, which became known as the town’s railway suburbs.

A terrace in Hyde Park even bore a plaque ‘Engine Men’s Cottages’.

The iron foundry was constructed during 1881. It had a large centre bay and two small side bays.

Separating the bays were two rows of cast iron columns, which also supported the roof structure and housed the rails for an overhead crane.

Originally, the crane was operated from the shop floor by a rope.

Initially, there was only one cupola for melting iron and the ‘blast’ was produced by a small driven Roots blower.

During the late 1880s the Foundry’s equipment was modernised.

A sand riddling machine was introduced in 1887 and two Darling and Sellars moulding machines were purchased in 1889.

Three years late the manoeuvre of metal ladles became easier by the installation of a 15-ton overhead, steam-driven crane, seen above in 1912, obtained from J Booth & Bros of Rodley, Leeds.

During the 20th century the iron foundry played an important role in manufacturing many of the parts for the famous Plant-built steam locomotives.

However after the demise of steam traction during the mid-1960s, the iron foundry became redundant and was converted for use as a crane and chain repair shop.

The erecting shop was built by the Doncaster firm of H Arnold & Son near the forge and new boiler shop in 1890/1, at a cost of £13,000.

The new building consisted of two large erecting bays and a smaller bay for machinery.

Both erecting bays accommodated a centre road with pits on either side. Each pit was capable of holding five engines.

Two 30-ton overhead cranes, supplied by Craven Bros, Manchester, were housed in both of the erecting bays and were operated by cotton driving ropes from the main shafting.

The machinery comprised lathes, radial drilling machines, shaping, slotting and screwing machines which were driven by shafts, powered by a two-cylinder steam wall engine.

From http://www.thestar.co.uk/community/nostalgia/down_memory_lane_with_peter_tuffrey_1_3954527