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In Gloucester two fireless locos were at work for a few years, both arriving at their respective locations in the 1940s.
The long established Gloucester Railway Carriage & Wagon Co had used conventional steam shunting locos around the works, but in late 1947, a newcomer appeared, a fireless loco built by Bagnall's of Stafford. This loco utilised steam produced in the works to charge up the boiler, sufficient for shunting duties for an hour or two. The loco, an 0-4-0, was named 'Badgeworth Hall'. The works was connected to the ex-Midland Railway's Gloucester Docks branch. The fireless worked until 1961 when it was replaced by a dumper truck. It was sold to Hayes Metals, Gloucester, in March 1963 and cut up later that year.
'Badgeworth Hall' at the Wagon Company on 6 February 1948, brand new. Photo Stephen Mourton collection
The other fireless, also an 0-4-0, was built by Andrew Barclay of Kilmarnock and used at Castle Meads Power Station, originally owned by Gloucester Corporation when it was opened in 1943. The station was nationalised in 1948 and eventually became part of the Central Electricity Generating Board. Coal was brought in by barge and also by the GWR branch from Over Junction.
The Barclay fireless was in steam on 27 December 1966 when Rod Smith took this picture. It was always well kept and, in truth, probably did not do a lot of strenuous work. Note the very shiny bell on the cab front, used for warning of its approach, as the loco was so quiet in operation.
The station closed in 1969 and, in 1973, the loco was presented to the Dowty Railway Preservation Society, Ashchurch, leaving Castle Meads on 10 November. Later it went to Toddington and then to the Waterways Museum at Gloucester, within sight of its old home. Subsequently it moved to the preservation scheme at Sharpness.
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