Nasmyth, Gaskell and Company
Nasmyth, Gaskell and Company, originally called The Bridgewater Foundry, specialised in the production of heavy machine tools and locomotives. It was located in Patricroft, in Salford England, close to the Liverpool and Manchester Railway, the Bridgewater Canal and the Manchester Ship Canal. The company was founded in 1836 and dissolved in 1940.
Nasmyth


The company was founded in 1836 by James Nasmyth and Holbrook Gaskell.[1] Nasmyth had previously been employed in Henry Maudslay's workshop in Lambeth and his interest was mainly, but not limited to, specialist machine tools.
Modern materials handling
The Bridgewater Foundry is an example of modern materials handling that was part of the evolution of the assembly line.
The buildings were arranged in a line with a railway for carrying the work going through the buildings. Cranes were used for lifting the heavy work, which sometimes weighed in the tens of tons. The worked passed sequentially through to erection of framework and final assembly.[2]
Machine tools
In the period up to 1856, the foundry concentrated on building a large number of machine tools. Before Nasmyth, machine tools were custom built on demand. Nasmyth published a catalogue of standard designs which he then marketed. His design for the steam hammer was produced first in France by Le Creusot, another firm. On seeing it, Nasmyth then ensured that it was correctly patented. He produced a complete range of steam hammers, planers and shapers. He designed and produced pile drivers and a hydraulic press.
Locomotives
The company produced nine locomotives in 1839, thirteen in 1840, eight in 1841 and sixteen in 1842.[3] They may well have been sub-contracted from other makers. Those for the Midland Counties Railway were 2-2-0 with 5-foot-6-inch (1.676 m) driving wheels and 12-by-18-inch (305 mm Γ 457 mm) cylinders, probably similar to that railway's Bury machines, apart from one which was 2-2-2, and had smaller drivers, with 5 ft 0 in (1.524 m) and 14-by-18-inch (356 mm Γ 457 mm) cylinders. In 1841 the Birmingham and Gloucester Railway had found some American Norris 4-2-0 locomotives very successful, especially on the notorious Lickey Incline, and the company built six similar ones for the line.
Expansion
In 1850 the name of the firm was changed to James Nasmyth and Company, then in 1857 to Patricroft Ironworks. In 1867 Robert Wilson and Henry Garnett became the principal partners and the company's name changed again to Nasmyth, Wilson and Company.
From about 1873 the demand for locomotives from overseas increased. By 1938 over 1,650 locomotives had been produced, over one thousand of which were exported.[3]
In 1883, Nasmyth Wilson and Co. produced the very first design of Prairie or 2-6-2 locomotives in the world, for the New Zealand Railways Department. These locomotives entered traffic between 1885 and 1890 after a somewhat rough start. several were dumped in rivers as flood protection in the 1920s, and have since been exhumed for preservation.
Decline and closure
During World War I the factory was mainly engaged in munitions work, but it built twenty 2-8-0 locomotives for the French Chemin de fer de l'Γtat (140-251 to 140-270) and 32 for India, along with a hundred small petrol driven locomotives.[4]
Sales continued after the end of the war but by the early 1930s orders had begun to dwindle.[5] In 1934 the works supplied four standard gauge N class 0-6-0T shunters to Palestine Railways.[6] These were evidently satisfactory as Palestine Railways bought four more in 1935, two in 1936 and a final pair in 1938.[6]
The last locomotive order was for two 2-6-4T metre gauge tank locomotives, Works No. 1649 and 1650, dispatched in 1938 to the South Indian Railways. Only two other locomotives were produced in 1938; these were the last pair of N class 0-6-0Ts for Palestine Railways, Works No. 1651 and 1652.[3][6]
As part of a planned reorganisation of the industry, the company ceased manufacture of locomotives and handed over all its drawings and patterns to the British Locomotive Manufacturers Association.[7] The company continued to make steam hammers and machine tools.
On 1 June 1940 the Ministry of Supply took over the factory and it became an engineering Royal Ordnance Factory, ROF Patricroft.[7] The company, however, was formally wound up on 7 November 1940, having reported a loss of Β£2,663 for 1939.[7]
In 1987 the Royal Ordnance Factories were bought by British Aerospace; and in 1989 the Patricroft engineering works was closed down. The site, including some of the original buildings, is now used as a business and technology centre.
By 2009 a large section (the central building) had been demolished.
Locomotive production list
Serial numbers | Year | Quantity | Customer | Class | Wheel arrangement | Road numbers | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
25β32 | 1841 | 8 | Great Western Railway | Firefly | 2-2-2 | various names | [8] 7 ft 1β4 in (2,140 mm) gauge. |
35β42 | 1842 | 8 | Great Western Railway | Firefly | 2-2-2 | various names | [8] 7 ft 1β4 in (2,140 mm) gauge. |
43β46 | 1842 | 4 | Great Western Railway | Hurcules | 0-6-0 | various names | [9] 7 ft 1β4 in (2,140 mm) gauge. |
120β124 | 1872 | 5 | Great Eastern Railway | 477 | 0-6-0 | 507β511 | [10] Renumbered 0507β0511 in 1899. |
216β223 | 1882 | 8 | Bengal Central Railway | H | 4-4-0 | 1β8 | [11] 5 ft 6 in (1,676 mm) gauge. Two to Nizam's Guaranteed State Railway, six to Eastern Bengal Railway |
252β261 | 1885 | 10 | New Zealand Government Railways | V | 2-6-2 | various | |
272β281 | 1885 | 10 | New Zealand Government Railways | P | 2-8-0 | various | |
282β284 | 1885 | 3 | Wellington and Manawatu Railway Company | V | 2-6-2 | 6β8 | later New Zealand Government Railways 450β452 |
354β365 | 1889 | 15 | Queensland Railways | B15 | 4-6-0 | 206β219 | |
425β430 | 1892 | 6 | London, Tilbury and Southend Railway | 1 | 4-4-2T | 31β36 | [12] to Midland Railway 2140β2146 in 1912 |
460β462 | 1895 | 3 | Cambrian Railways | 0-4-4T | 3, 5, 7 | to Great Western Railway 10, 11, 15 in 1922 | |
552β557 | 1899 | 6 | Furness Railway | 7 | 0-6-0 | 7β12 | [13] to LMS 12468β12473 in 1923 |
558β560 | 1899 | 3 | Cambrian Railways | 0-4-4T | 8, 9, 23 | to Great Western Railway 19β21 in 1922 | |
561β562 | 1899 | 2 | Neath and Brecon Railway | 0-6-0ST | 7β8 | to Great Western Railway 2174β2175 in 1922 | |
584β586 | 1900 | 3 | Brecon and Merthyr Railway | 0-6-0T | 27β29 | later Great Western Railway 2171β2173 | |
588β593 | 1900 | 6 | North Staffordshire Railway | 159 | 0-6-0 | 159β164 | [14] to LMS 2351β2356 in 1923 |
689β693 | 1904 | 5 | Furness Railway | 98 | 0-6-2T | 98β102 | [15] to LMS 11625β11629 in 1923 |
697β700 | 1904 | 4 | Donegal Railway | 4 | 4-6-4T | 12β15 | [16] 3 ft (914 mm) gauge. To County Donegal Railways Joint Committee in 1906; renumbered 9β12 in 1937 |
701β706 | 1904 | 6 | East Indian Railway | 0-4-0ST | 1/980 to 6/980 | [17] 5 ft 6 in (1,676 mm) gauge. Construction locomotives. | |
748β750 | 1905 | 3 | East Indian Railway | 0-4-0ST | 7/85 to 9/885 | [17] 5 ft 6 in (1,676 mm) gauge. Construction locomotives. | |
794β798 | 1907 | 5 | East Indian Railway | M | Railmotor | 1350β1354 | [18] 5 ft 6 in (1,676 mm) gauge. Rebuilt as works shunters between 1927 and 1929 |
800β809 | 1907 | 10 | Buenos Aires Great Southern Railway | 8B | 2-6-2T | 289β298 | 5 ft 6 in (1,676 mm) gauge. Renumbered 3401β3410 in 1912; to Ferrocarril General Roca in 1948 |
828β833 | 1907 | 5 | County Donegal Railways Joint Committee | 5 | 2-6-4T | 16β20 | [16] 3 ft (914 mm) gauge. Renumbered 4β8 in 1937; three preserved |
834β836 | 1908 | 4 | Federated Malay States Railways | H2 | 4-6-2 | 131β134 | 1,000 mm (3 ft 3 3β8 in) gauge. |
839β842 | 1908 | 4 | Federated Malay States Railways | H2 | 4-6-2 | 79β82 | 1,000 mm (3 ft 3 3β8 in) gauge. |
864β869 | 1908 | 6 | Assam Bengal Railway | K/2 (BESA G) | 4-8-0 | 130β135 | 1,000 mm (3 ft 3 3β8 in) gauge. |
870β875 | 1908 | 6 | Assam Bengal Railway | C/1 (BESA T) | 2-6-2T | 70β75 | 1,000 mm (3 ft 3 3β8 in) gauge. |
911 | 1910 | 1 | Buenos Aires Midland Railway | F | 4-6-0 | 38 | 1,000 mm (3 ft 3 3β8 in) gauge. |
929β933 | 1911 | 5 | Great Northern Railway (Ireland) | NQG | 0-6-0 | 9, 109, 112, 38β39 | [16] 5 ft 3 in (1,600 mm) gauge. |
945β947 | 1911 | 3 | Eastern Bengal Railway | SP | 4-4-0 | 265β267 | [19] 5 ft 6 in (1,676 mm) gauge. Renumbered 406β408. |
950 | 1911 | 1 | Great Northern Railway (Ireland) | NLQG | 0-6-0 | 165 | [16] 5 ft 3 in (1,600 mm) gauge. |
951β955 | 1911β12 | 5 | East Indian Railway | G | 2-8-0 | 990β994 | [18] 5 ft 6 in (1,676 mm) gauge. |
956β958 | 1912 | 3 | County Donegal Railways Joint Committee | 5A | 2-6-4T | 2A, 3A, 21 | [16] 3 ft (914 mm) gauge. Renumbered 2, 3, 1 in 1937; one preserved |
995β1000 | 1913 | 6 | Bombay Port Trust | A | 2-6-0T | 1β6 | [20] 5 ft 6 in (1,676 mm) gauge |
1009β1013 | 1913 | 5 | Kenya-Uganda Railway | EE | 2-6-4T | 391β395 | 1,000 mm (3 ft 3 3β8 in) gauge. To East African Railways and Harbours Corporation 1001β1005; EAR&H class 10 |
1024β1023 | 1913 | 10 | Bengal Nagpur Railway | B5 | 2-8-2 | 0066β0075 not in order | [21] 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) gauge. |
1026β1031 | 1914 | 6 | East Indian Railway | BT | 2-6-4T | 159β164 | [22] 5 ft 6 in (1,676 mm) gauge. Five renumbered 26821β26825 in all-India scheme. |
1032β1033 | 1914 | 2 | Bombay Port Trust | A | 2-6-0T | 7β8 | [20] 5 ft 6 in (1,676 mm) gauge |
1041β1043 | 1913 | 3 | Kenya-Uganda Railway | EE | 2-6-4T | 396β398 | 1,000 mm (3 ft 3 3β8 in) gauge. To East African Railways and Harbours Corporation 1006β1008; EAR&H class 10 |
1054β1059 | 1914 | 6 | East Indian Railway | ST | 0-6-0T | 677β682 | [22] 5 ft 6 in (1,676 mm) gauge. Renumbered 34364β36369 in all-India scheme. |
1060β1065 | 1915 | 6 | South African Railways | J | 2-6-4T | 341β346 | [23] 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) gauge. |
1087β1094 | 1915 | 8 | Bengal Nagpur Railway | BS1 | 2-8-2 | 0076β0083 | [21] 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) gauge. |
1106β1111 | 1915 | 6 | Bombay Port Trust | A | 2-6-0T | 9β14 | [20] 5 ft 6 in (1,676 mm) gauge |
1115β1119 | 1921 | 5 | Great Northern Railway (Ireland) | T2 | 4-4-2T | 1β5 | [16] 5 ft 3 in (1,600 mm) gauge. Subcontracted to Beyer, Peacock & Co. |
1120β1139 | 1916β17 | 20 | Chemins de fer de l'Γtat | 140-101 | 2-8-0 | 140-251 to 140-270 | [24] |
1244β1267 | 1917β1918 | 24 | Railway Operating Division | ROD 2-8-0 | 2-8-0 | 1701β1724 | [25] |
1269β1280 | 1919 | 12 | Taff Vale Railway | A | 0-6-2T | various | to Great Western Railway in 1922 |
1281β1288 | 1919 | 8 | Railway Operating Division | ROD 2-8-0 | 2-8-0 | 1725β1732 | [25] |
1322β1332 | 1921 | 11 | Assam Bengal Railway | H/7 (BESA M) | 4-6-0 | 143β153 | 1,000 mm (3 ft 3 3β8 in) gauge. |
1352 | 1921 | 1 | Assam Bengal Railway | H/7 (BESA M) | 4-6-0 | 154 | 1,000 mm (3 ft 3 3β8 in) gauge. |
1357β1358 | 1922 | 2 | Bombay Port Trust | H | 2-10-2T | 25β26 | [20] 5 ft 6 in (1,676 mm) gauge hump shunters |
1359β1368 | 1921 | 10 | Bombay Port Trust | A | 2-6-0T | 15β24 | [20] 5 ft 6 in (1,676 mm) gauge. |
1371β1375 | 1922 | 5 | Bengal Nagpur Railway | BS3 | 2-8-2 | 0096β00100 | [21] 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) gauge. Renumbered 632β636 in 1957 all-India scheme |
1423β1427 | 1924 | 5 | Great Northern Railway (Ireland) | T2 | 4-4-2T | 21, 30, 115, 116, 139 | [16] 5 ft 3 in (1,600 mm) gauge. |
1428β1432 | 1924β25 | 5 | Great Northern Railway (Ireland) | SG2 | 0-6-0 | 15β19 | [16] 5 ft 3 in (1,600 mm) gauge. |
1435β1439 | 1924 | 5 | Great Northern Railway (Ireland) | T2 | 4-4-2T | 142β144, 147, 148 | [16] 5 ft 3 in (1,600 mm) gauge. |
1448β1452 | 1925 | 5 | London, Midland and Scottish Railway | 3P | 4-4-2T | 2120β2124 | [26] Continuation of London, Tilbury and Southend Railway 79 class |
1453β1462 | 1925 | 10 | London, Midland and Scottish Railway | 2P | 0-4-4T | 15260β15269 | [27] Continuation of Caledonian Railway 431 Class |
1471β1476 | 1926 | 6 | Nigerian Railways | 4-6-2 | 405β410 | 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) gauge. | |
1482β1486 | 1926 | 5 | Barsi Light Railway | F | 2-8-2 | 19β23 | [28] 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) gauge. Renumbered 712β716 in 1957 all-India scheme |
1487β1488 | 1926 | 2 | Great Indian Peninsula Railway | B/1 | 2-8-2 | 13β14 | [29] 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) gauge. Renumbered 770β771 in 1957 all-India scheme |
1489β1491 | 1926 | 3 | Ceylon Government Railway | B8 | 4-6-0 | 229β231 | [30] 5 ft 6 in (1,676 mm) gauge. |
1497β1504 | 1927 | 8 | South Indian Railway | K | 0-6-0 | K58βK65 | [31] 5 ft 6 in (1,676 mm) gauge. Renumbered 37059β37066 in all-India scheme |
1525β1526 | 1927 | 2 | Barsi Light Railway | F | 2-8-2 | 29β30 | [28] 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) gauge. Renumbered 717β718 in 1957 all-India scheme |
1531β1532 | 1928 | 2 | North Western Railway (India) | ZE | 2-8-2 | 190β191 | [32] 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) gauge. Renumbered 221β222; renumbered 93β94 in all-India scheme |
1533β1536 | 1928 | 4 | Nigerian Railways | 4-6-2 | 411β414 | 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) gauge. | |
1539β1543 | 1928 | 5 | Barsi Light Railway | G | 4-6-4 | 31β35 | [28] 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) gauge. Renumbered 728β732 in 1957 all-India scheme |
1550β1554 | 1928 | 5 | Eastern Bengal Railway | YB | 4-6-2 | 409β413 | 1,000 mm (3 ft 3 3β8 in) gauge. To Assam Bengal Railway 251β255 in 1936 |
1563β1566 | 1929 | 4 | Bengal Nagpur Railway | RD | 2-6-2 | 07β010 | [21] 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) gauge, for RaipurβDhamtari line; renumbered 687β690 in 1957 all-India scheme |
1574β1576 | 1929 | 3 | Barsi Light Railway | F | 2-8-2 | 36β38 | [28] 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) gauge. Renumbered 719β721 in 1957 all-India scheme |
1586β1587 | 1930 | 2 | Barsi Light Railway | G | 4-6-4 | 4β5 | [28] 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) gauge. Renumbered 725β726 in 1957 all-India scheme |
1934 | 4 | Palestine Railway | N | 0-6-0T | |||
1935 | 4 | Palestine Railway | N | 0-6-0T | |||
1649β1650 | 1938 | 2 | South Indian Railway | ST | 2-6-4T | ST1βST2 | [33] 1,000 mm (3 ft 3 3β8 in) gauge. Renumbered 37366β37367 in all-India scheme |
1651β1652 | 1938 | 2 | Palestine Railway | N | 0-6-0T | ||
References
- β Cantrell 2005, pp. 7β8.
- β Musson & Robinson 1969, pp. 491β495.
- β 3.0 3.1 3.2 Cantrell (2005): Appendix: Locomotives produced at the Bridgewater Foundry 1838β1938
- β Cantrell 2005, p. 93.
- β Cantrell 2005, p. 105.
- β 6.0 6.1 6.2 Cotterell 1984, p. 55.
- β 7.0 7.1 7.2 Cantrell 2005, p. 107.
- β 8.0 8.1 Reed 1952, p. B14.
- β Reed 1952, p. B17.
- β Baxter 2012, p. 42.
- β Hughes 1990, p. 32.
- β Baxter 1982, p. 40.
- β Baxter 1984, p. 222.
- β Baxter 1984, p. 247.
- β Baxter 1984, p. 221.
- β 16.0 16.1 16.2 16.3 16.4 16.5 16.6 16.7 16.8 Rowledge 1993, p. 17.
- β 17.0 17.1 Hughes 1990, p. 48.
- β 18.0 18.1 Hughes 1990, p. 45.
- β Hughes 1990, p. 34.
- β 20.0 20.1 20.2 20.3 20.4 Hughes 1990, p. 100.
- β 21.0 21.1 21.2 21.3 Hughes 1994, p. 19.
- β 22.0 22.1 Hughes 1990, p. 42.
- β Holland 1972, p. 32.
- β Davies 2001, p. 88.
- β 25.0 25.1 Boddy et al. 1983, p. 47.
- β Rowledge 1975, p. 4.
- β Rowledge 1975, p. 33.
- β 28.0 28.1 28.2 28.3 28.4 Hughes 1994, p. 15.
- β Hughes 1994, p. 45.
- β Hughes 1990, p. 94.
- β Hughes 1990, p. 91.
- β Hughes 1994, p. 69.
- β Hughes 1992, p. 98.
- Baxter, Bertram (1982). Baxter, David, ed. British Locomotive Catalogue 1825β1923, Volume 3A: Midland Railway and its constituent companies. Ashbourne, Derbyshire: Moorland Publishing Company.
- Baxter, Bertram (1984). Baxter, David, ed. British Locomotive Catalogue 1825β1923, Volume 4: Scottish and remaining English Companies in the LMS Group. Ashbourne, Derbyshire: Moorland Publishing Company.
- Baxter, Bertram (2012). Baxter, David; Mitchell, Peter, eds. British Locomotive Catalogue 1825β1923, Volume 6: Great Eastern Railway, North British Railway, Great North of Scotland Railway, Midland & Great Northern Joint Railway, remaining companies in the LNER group. Southampton: Kestrel Railway Books. ISBN 978-1-905505-26-5.
- Boddy, M. G.; Brown, W. A.; Neve, E.; Yeadon, W. B. (November 1983). Fry, E. V., ed. Locomotives of the L.N.E.R., Part 6B: Tender EnginesβClasses O1 to P2. Kenilworth: RCTS. ISBN 0-901115-54-1.
- Cantrell, John (2005). Nasmyth, Wilson & Co.: Patricroft Locomotive Builders. Stroud: Tempus Publishing Limited. ISBN 0-7524-3465-9.
- Cotterell, Paul (1984). The Railways of Palestine and Israel. Abingdon: Tourret Publishing. ISBN 0-905878-04-3.
- Davies, John (August 2001). Chemins de fer de l'Γtat Locomotive List 1878β1938. Woodbridge, Queensland: Dr. John Davies. ISBN 0-7316-8442-7.
- Hughes, Hugh (1990). Indian Locomotives: Part 1 β Broad Gauge 1851β1940. Harrow, Middlesex: The Continental Railway Circle. ISBN 0-9503469-8-5.
- Hughes, Hugh (1992). Indian Locomotives: Part 2 β Metre Gauge 1872β1940. Harrow, Middlesex: The Continental Railway Circle. ISBN 0-9503469-9-3.
- Hughes, Hugh (1994). Indian Locomotives: Part 3 β Narrow Gauge 1863β1940. Harrow, Middlesex: The Continental Railway Circle. ISBN 0-9521655-0-3.
- Holland, D.F. (1972). Steam Locomotives of the South African Railways, Volume 2: 1910-1955 (1st ed.). Newton Abbott, Devon: David & Charles. ISBN 978-0-7153-5427-8.
- Lowe, J. W. (1989). British Steam Locomotive Builders. Guild Publishing.
- Musson, Albert Edward; Robinson, Eric (1969). Science and technology in the Industrial Revolution. Manchester University Press. p. 491. ISBN 978-0-7190-0370-7.
- Reed, P. J. T. (February 1953). White, D. E., ed. The Locomotives of the Great Western Railway, Part 2: Broad Gauge. Kenilworth: RCTS. ISBN 0-901115-32-0.
- Rowledge, J.W.P. (1975). Engines of the LMS built 1923β51. Oxford: Oxford Publishing Company. ISBN 0-902888-59-5.
- Rowledge, J. W. P. (1993). Irish Steam Locomotive Register. Stockport, Merseyside: Irish Traction Group. ISBN 0-947773-33-9.
- Smiles, Samuel (1912). James Nasmyth Engineer: An Autobiography. John Murray. Retrieved 2009-11-14.