BARROW HILL ROUNDHOUSE AND TRAIN CENTRE

Background Information

During the later stages of the building of the Birmingham and Derby railway, on 16th July 1836 the North Midland Railway engaged the services of George Stephenson in the post of Engineer to extend the line north of Derby via Clay Cross to Chesterfield and then on to Rotherham, Normanton and Leeds; a branch line ran from Rotherham to Sheffield. His son, Robert Stephenson, who was the Engineer in charge of the building of the Birmingham to London railway could only join him in the role of Consulting Engineer (a title instigated by Isambard Kingdom Brunel) until his duties on the London line were completed.

During the mid-1860s the North Midland Railway was looking to expand its business and rail network into the coalfields of North East Derbyshire. At the same time the Staveley Coal and Iron Company (Staveley is located about five miles north east of Chesterfield) was also expanding with the development of coal mining, new iron smelting technology and rail transport. In 1866 the North Midland Railway and the Staveley Coal and Iron Company entered into an Agreement which became known as the 100 Years’ Agreement. The agreement may well have been facilitated by the fact that Charles Markham, the Chief Engineer and Managing Director of the Staveley Iron Works, had previously worked for the North Midland Railway as their Assistant Superintendant. The result of this agreement was that the North Midland Railway gained the opportunity for further expansion into the Derbyshire coalfield, from where they could expand further northward; and the Staveley Ironworks had their coal and iron transported without the problems of running a railway themselves. As part of the Agreement the North Midland Railway purchased and operated the ironworks internal private railway which ensured that the Ironworks had all their shunting work done without cost to themselves for the next 100 years.

The increase in rail traffic, especially goods and freight traffic associated with the coal and iron works established at Staveley, resulted in the requirement for a locomotive repair depot in the area. Barrow Hill, a small community close to Staveley, that had grown to accommodate the increasing population as the local coal, minerals and chemical industries expanded, was chosen as the site for the new repair depot, which was to be built on the roundhouse principle.

Description

The Oxford English Dictionary defines a Roundhouse as a circular repair shed for railway locomotives built round a turntable. However, in the case of the Barrow Hill Roundhouse, the building housing the railway turntable is actually square, as can be seen in the plan of the museum site. The area in the corners of the building are occupied by offices, tool stores, storage space for specialist equipment and space for servicing and repairing the locomotives. Barrow Hill Roundhouse is the oldest remaining operating locomotive turning shed in the world dating back to 1869 when the Midland Railway advertised for tenders to build the Roundhouse at Staveley, just to the north of Chesterfield. Construction was completed in November 1870 at cost of approximately £17000; and it remained in operation until 1991, a total of 121 years. When first built it was known as the Staveley Roundhouse and Train Centre; however, since 1948, it has been known as the Barrow Hill Roundhouse and Train Centre.

At the centre of the Roundhouse is the railway turntable. The original turntable, which was operated by steam supplied by means of a flexible hose connected to the engine on the turntable, was replaced in 1931 by Turntable No 5231 built by Cowans Sheldon & Co.Ltd, Engineers, Carlisle. From it radiate twenty four lines, or roads in railway parlance, on which locomotives are parked, to use a modern day term, whilst being repaired or serviced or being made ready for use in the nearby shunting marshalling yard or the adjacent main lines.

Many of the very early main line locomotives could only be driven in one direction so a turntable was used to rotate them through 180o in order for them to make a return journey.

A number of locomotives are on display within the Roundhouse, either permanently or semi- permanently, ie on loan from other railway museums, and contain examples of steam, diesel and diesel-electric powered locomotives.

One feature of special historical importance within the Roundhouse is what is believed to be the only remaining set of timber locomotive shear legs. These form a triangular pyramid approximately 6 metres (25 feet) high. One of the legs comprises two timber posts across which are attached, horizontally, wooden bars which act as hand- and foot-holds allowing access to the top of the pyramid where a block and tackle was attached. Either the front or the rear of a locomotive was brought under the frame, and a hook at the end of a rope was attached. The locomotive was then lifted by manpower pulling on the other end of the rope. This operation allowed the wheels to be removed from the locomotive for repair or replacement. This lifting arrangement was deemed illegal in 1964 when the Construction (Lifting Regulations) Act was made law.

Outside the Roundhouse building the visiting public have access to the Platform where a train of coaches is located and a line of diesel locomotives can be viewed. Admittance to the five lines within the Roundhouse museum boundary is also allowed and these give access to the coal bunker, the water tower and the signal box.

Educational Aspects

The figure 24, which, as explained above, relates to the number of lines radiating from the turntable, is given importance by being incorporated in the Barrow Hill Roundhouse’s logo. In order to bring some of the items either on display or simply located within the building to the notice of the visiting public during the week-end opening hours, visitors can pick up a free guide-sheet entitled “The Roundhouse in 24 Objects”. The Barrow Hill Roundhouse caters for parties of schoolchildren, providing arrangements are made beforehand, and provides guided tours and educational talks for the children. At week- ends parents are encouraged to guide their children to the “hands-on” displays that demonstrate a number of engineering principles. For instance, the “Cogs and Gears” display comprises a number of different sizes of gear wheels that can be interchanged to show how different final drive speeds can be obtained when the drive cog is turned. The “Pulleys” display, comprising a single pulley, double pulley and a four pulley sheaf block used to raise identical loads, demonstrates the basic engineering principles of Mechanical Advantage and Velocity Ratio, from which the Efficiency of a system can be obtained. Other displays show the principles of Linkages and Cams.

Pull-out cards, which can be chosen as required, describe the roles and jobs allocated to the various grades of railway personnel during the age of steam. Signalmen are also included by a display of seven different lamp combinations, which they were required to recognise, carried at the front of a locomotive to designate the type of train it is pulling, anything from the Royal Train or passenger express to a general goods, fish or cattle train.

There are even examples of coal and ironstone, minerals formerly mined and used by local industries, but which are unfamiliar to the younger generations.

RECOMMENDATION FOR THE IMECHE ENGINEERING HERITAGE AWARD

When, in 1989, it became apparent that British Rail would soon be closing the Barrow Hill engine shed the Barrow Hill Shed Society was formed with the intention of saving the Roundhouse from demolition. Even though the Roundhouse was granted Grade II listed building status in February 1991 it was actually saved from demolition by Chesterfield Council being persuaded to issue a Preservation Order only 48 hours before demolition was due to commence. Nevertheless, the neglect and vandalism it suffered during the six years of negotiation which the Shed Society then had to carry out with various organisations such as British Rail, Derbyshire County Council, Chesterfield Borough Council, the Transport Trust, European Development Fund and the Government SRB (Single Regeneration Budget) Fund resulted in the Roundhouse almost being lost forever. However, the determination of the volunteers of the Barrow Hill Shed Society, led by Mervyn Allcock, to raise the funds and carry out the huge task of repairing and refurbishing the Roundhouse and the surrounding site has resulted in the dynamic functional museum that is in existence today.

Whilst the main reason for recommending the Barrow Hill Roundhouse for the IMechE Engineering Heritage Award is that it is the last operational roundhouse engine shed in this country and the oldest in the world it would also acknowledge the efforts of a group of enthusiasts that saved it from extinction. It now has the status of an accredited museum.

FOOTNOTE

Barrow Hill Roundhouse is located within three miles of Tapton House, Chesterfield, the home of George Stephenson, the first President of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, where he lived from 1837 until his death in 1848; and is within four miles of Holy Trinity and Christ Church, Chesterfield, where George Stephenson is buried.

Location: Campbell Drive, Barrow Hill, Chesterfield, Derbyshire S43 2PR

Website: www.barrowhill.org