MSC’S LOCOMOTIVE FLEET

The Manchester Ship Canal owned 91 steam locomotives from the following builders: Hudswell Clarke (56), Hunslet (21), Kitson (seven), Peckett (four) and one each from Manning Wardle, Hudswell Clarke & Rogers, and Vulcan Foundry. Between 1959 and 1966, it bought 34 diesels: D1 to D14 (204hp Hudswell Clarkes), DH15-DH32 (Rollsroyce Sentinels) and two 400hp Hudswell Clarke 0-6-0DES - 4001 and 4002. ‘N’ gauge modellers don’t have a great choice of suitable locomotives for an MSC layout. The following will be suitable, but you’ll need to scratch-build to be completely accurate: N Brass Locos’ Peckett ‘E’ 0-4-0ST and proposed Peckett ‘X’ 0-6-0ST. BH Enterprises’ Ruston & Hornsby ‘48DS’ 4WDM, Hunslet ‘D1/1’ 0-4-0DM, Hudswell Clarke ‘D2/7’ and ‘D2/12’ (www.bhenterprises.co.uk). Lytchett Manor Models’ L&Y/LMS/BR Aspinall 0-6-0ST (http://lytchettmanor.co.uk.websitebuilder. prositehosting.co.uk). The N Gauge Society’s forthcoming ready-to-run Hunslet 0-6-0DH (http://newweb.ngaugesociety.com). Djmodels’ forthcoming Hunslet ‘Austerity’ 0-6-0ST (or you could use the old Graham Farish model). Graham Farish’s Class 04 and 08 could also be used.

Below: For those who want to represent the more recent period, you can use Bachmann Farish Class 08s to represent those used on the Trafford Park system. Here are 08669, 08615 and 08613 on June 11 2000. All three survive.

Above: Hudswell Clarke 0-6-0T No. 644 Belfast was built in 1903. It’s photographed in front of an unidentified 0-4-0ST.

Hudswell Clarke ‘Long Tank’ 0-6-0T No. 67 was built in 1919 and is part of the Middleton Railway’s collection. Other preserved MSC locomotives include Hunslet ‘Jazzer’ 0-6-0T Lady Armaghdale (Severn Valley Railway) and 400hp 0-6-0DE 4002 at the East...