A switcher, shunter, yard pilot, switch engine, yard goat, or shifter is a small railroad locomotive used for manoeuvring railroad cars inside a rail yard in a process known as switching (US) or shunting (UK). Switchers are not intended for moving trains over long distances but rather for assembling trains in order for another locomotive to take over. They do this in classification yards. Switchers may also make short transfer runs and even be the only motive power on branch lines and switching and terminal railroads. The term can also be used to describe the workers operating these engines or engaged in directing shunting operations. Switching locomotives may be purpose-built engines, but may also be downgraded main-line engines, or simply main-line engines assigned to switching. Switchers can also be used on short excursion train rides.
The Taff Vale Railway (TVR) was a standard gauge railway in South Wales, built by the Taff Vale Railway Company to serve the iron and coal industries around Merthyr Tydfil and to connect them with docks in Cardiff. It was opened in stages in 1840 and 1841.
The Bowes Railway, built by George Stephenson in 1826, is the world's only operational preserved standard gauge cable railway system. It was built to transport coal from pits in Durham to boats on the River Tyne. The site is a scheduled monument. The railway is open every week on Thursday, Friday and Saturday as well as on a number of event days throughout the year.
The Brecon and Merthyr Tydfil Junction Railway (B&MR) was a railway company in Wales. It was originally intended to link the towns in its name. Finding its access to Merthyr difficult at first, it acquired the Rumney Railway, an old plateway, and this gave it access to Newport docks. This changed its emphasis from rural line to mineral artery.
Trehafod railway station is a railway station serving the township of Trehafod in Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales. It is located on the Rhondda Line.
St Blazey engine shed is located in Par, Cornwall, United Kingdom, although it is named after the adjacent village of St Blazey. It was built in 1874 as the headquarters of the Cornwall Minerals Railway but for many years was a depot of the Great Western Railway. The current depot operator is DB Cargo and the depot TOPS code is BZ.
The Barry Railway Company was a railway and docks company in South Wales, first incorporated as the Barry Dock and Railway Company in 1884. It arose out of frustration among Rhondda coal owners at congestion and high charges at Cardiff Docks as well the monopoly held by the Taff Vale Railway in transporting coal from the Rhondda. In addition, the Taff Vale did not have the required capacity for the mineral traffic using the route, leading to lengthy delays in getting to Cardiff.
Railmotor is a term used in the United Kingdom and elsewhere for a railway lightweight railcar, usually consisting of a railway carriage with a steam traction unit, or a diesel or petrol engine, integrated into it.
The Taff Vale Railway A class was a class of 0-6-2T steam tank locomotives designed by J. Cameron for mixed traffic work and introduced to the Taff Vale Railway (TVR) in 1914. The A class was an enlarged version of the TVR O4 class designed by Tom Hurry Riches in 1907. The A class was the last new class of locomotive to be introduced on the TVR, which had introduced its first 0-6-2Ts in 1885 ; and, with a total of 58 built, was numerically the largest class of tank locomotive on the TVR.
Barry Railway Class B1 were 0-6-2T steam tank locomotives of the Barry Railway in South Wales. They were designed by J. H. Hosgood and built by Sharp Stewart, & Co., Vulcan Foundry and Société Franco-Belge. The locomotive, though similar to the B class, differed in having an increased tank capacity of 1,630 gallons compared with the 1,400 gallons of the B class. The purpose of this was to enable them to take a train of empty wagons from Cadoxton Yard to Trehafod Junction without the need to refill the tank.
The Cambrian Railways Class 89s were 0-6-0 tender locomotives introduced by Jones in 1903 for general use over their system, upon grouping they became Great Western Railway class 15 and were reboilered from 1924 onwards with Swindon parts.
Barry Railway Class L were 0-6-4T steam tank locomotives of the Barry Railway in South Wales. They were designed by John Auld, his only design for the Barry Railway, built by Hawthorn Leslie and Company and were introduced in 1914. They were originally intended for use on heavy coal trains from Trehafod but, as the B1 class proved more than adequate for the work, they were assigned to different duties. These included pulling mineral trains from Rhymney and New Tredegar on the Brecon and Merthyr, from Rogerstone Yard on the Great Western and from Neath Junction, also on the Great Western. They were also to be seen occasionally pulling the suburban service to Cardiff.
Barry Railway Class J were 2-4-2T steam locomotives of the Barry Railway in South Wales. They were designed by J. F. Hosgood, built by both Hudswell Clarke and Sharp, Stewart and Company and were introduced in 1897. Their main use was on the Barry to Cardiff suburban service and had a reputation for always being smartly turned out. They were all shedded at Barry. The locomotives passed to the Great Western Railway in 1922. None survived into British Railways ownership and none have been preserved.
Barry Railway Class G were 0-4-4T steam tank locomotives of the Barry Railway in South Wales. They were designed by J. F. Hosgood, built by both Vulcan Foundry and Sharp Stewart and were introduced in 1892. Initially used for the Barry to Cardiff suburban service, they were transferred to passenger duties on the main line between Barry and Porth as well as the service between Pontypridd Graig and Cardiff Clarence Road, once the 'J' class had displaced them on the Barry to Cardiff run. The company insisted that their passenger locomotives should be smartly turned out and the 'G' class was no exception. The locomotives passed to the Great Western Railway in 1922. None survived into British Railways ownership and none have been preserved.
Barry Railway Class D were 0-8-0 steam tender engines of the Barry Railway in South Wales. They were built to a standard Sharp, Stewart and Company design modified by John Waddington Mann, the Chief Mechanical Engineer for the Swedish & Norwegian Railway. In fact, 20 of these locomotives were ordered by this railway. However the company ran into severe financial difficulty with the result that only one and a half locomotives were paid for by the S&N.
Barry Railway Class F were 0-6-0ST steam saddle tank engines of the Barry Railway in South Wales. They were designed by J. H. Hosgood and built by a number of British companies.
Barry Railway Class E were 0-6-0T steam locomotives of the Barry Railway in South Wales. They were designed by J. H. Hosgood and built by Hudswell Clarke. The locomotive was designed for light shunting duties at the docks. Their small size made them particularly suited to shunting on the Barry Island Breakwater. Access to the breakwater was via a rough hewn tunnel whose dimensions and sharp curves made it impossible for the other locomotives to negotiate a way through.
Barry Railway Class C were originally 2-4-0T steam locomotives of the Barry Railway in South Wales. They were designed by J. H. Hosgood and built by Sharp Stewart.
Maesycwmmer railway station was situated on the Bassaleg and Bargoed line, serving the adjoining village of Maesycwmmer, which lies on the east bank of the Rhymney River in the historic county of Monmouth. It was located at 12 miles 44 chains (20.2 km) from Newport. The line was built by the Brecon and Merthyr Railway, and passed to the Great Western Railway in 1923 and to British Railways in 1948. The line was double track and the station had simple up and down platforms.
Barry Railway Class A were the first steam tank engines to be built for the Barry Railway in South Wales and had an 0-6-0T wheel arrangement. They were designed by John Wolfe Barry and built by Sharp Stewart.
