October 2007
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August 2005
January 2005
Again more news on the acquisitions front, our second working locomotive arrived on the 13th September, from the Whipsnade Zoo Railway, one of the few 2ft bin gauge lines working in the country. We have to thank the Industrial Railway Society who put us in touch with Whipsnade.
This loco is a German built RUHRTHALER TUNNELLING 0-4-0 Type G100 H/VE fitted with 139hp Deutz diesel engine & hydraulic transmission. Works No. 3920 built in 1969. All that is known to date of its history is that it was delivered new to Rome to the Ministry of Public Works and was exported from Italy in 1994 to a UK contracting firm by the name of Amey - Donelon, and was one of a pair working on a tunnelling contract in Bristol. Whilst some may say this unit is not relevant to our system at
Waltham Abbey, it must be remembered that tunnelling as well as mining often involved the use of explosives for preparation before excavation and removal of spoil by industrial locomotives.
The Ruhrthaler Machine Works or RUHRTHALER MASCHINENFABRIK to give them their proper name, has a long history going back to 1899. In the early days manufacturing steam locomotives, they are now part of the major German engineering company the BRAUTIGAM Group. It is ironic that this 2007 loco arrival at the Mills has a Deutz engine; the design of the first Ruston Proctor ZLH locos of 1917 used at the Mills were `claimed to be' based on a Deutz design. Ninety years have passed and Deutz returns to Waltham Abbey!
With our internal storage space now at a premium we have been offered a 40ft ISO container from a Major Utilities Company, which could become a suitable engine shed for the Ruhrthaler.
Thanks to the hard work of volunteer Greg Kiteous the large 12" dia Cannon Shells dating from 1860, believed to have come from the Hurst Castle fortifications on the Solent now smartly line edge of the railway car park.
Our thanks to my colleague Peter Latchford at Thames Water Maintenance Services, who has donated a small precision lathe from his model shop for our workshop.
The time is right to ask all interested railway enthusiasts out there, ARE YOU INTERESTED IN BECOMING A VOLUNTEER? We normally work Wednesdays & Saturdays. Please come and visit the Mills Industrial Railway and see what we have achieved to date.
RJP @ WARGM Railway.
