Middleton Railway locos, 2013

59 photos of the Middleton's steam and diesel industrial locos. After a few introductory shots the photos are arranged by loco builder and date.

Replica Blenkinsop cogwheel and rack rail, Moor Road station, Middleton Rly, Leeds, Sun 14 July 2013. The Middleton waggonway used horsepower from its inception in 1758, but the cost of horses and their fodder became very expensive during the long war against Napoleon. In 1812 John Blenkinsop and Matthew Murray designed and built two steam locos, and rack rails for them to run on. These were the first commercially successful locos in the world, and entered service two years before Hedley's Puffing Billy. To help adhesion, these pioneering locos had a cogwheel as seen here, but only on one side. Blenkinsop and Murray built two further locos for the Middleton in 1813. By 1816 six more were in use elsewhere in the north of England. The Middleton locos had long and useful lives, the last working until 1835 when horsepower was reinstated. Steam returned in 1866. This replica cogwheel is based on the 'Blenkinsop wheels' in the National Rly Museum, York. The rail below is original.

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Replica Blenkinsop cogwheel and rack rail, Moor Road station, Middleton Rly, Leeds, Sun 14 July 2013. The Middleton waggonway used horsepower from its inception in 1758, but the cost of horses and their fodder became very expensive during the long war against Napoleon. In 1812 John Blenkinsop and Matthew Murray designed and built two steam locos, and rack rails for them to run on. These were the first commercially successful locos in the world, and entered service two years before Hedley's Puffing Billy. To help adhesion, these pioneering locos had a cogwheel as seen here, but only on one side. Blenkinsop and Murray built two further locos for the Middleton in 1813. By 1816 six more were in use elsewhere in the north of England. The Middleton locos had long and useful lives, the last working until 1835 when horsepower was reinstated. Steam returned in 1866. This replica cogwheel is based on the 'Blenkinsop wheels' in the National Rly Museum, York. The rail below is original.

Middleton Railway Leeds photos