Hudswell Clarke Diesel Shunter D577 Mary

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Hudswell Clarke Diesel Shunter D577 Mary
Hudswell Clarke D577 Mary Bridgnorth.jpg
D577 'Mary' at Bridgnorth in 1972 (David Cooke)
Built By Hudswell Clarke
Configuration 0-4-0DM
Power type Diesel Mechanical
Status Sold, preserved elsewhere
Loco Number Works No D577/1932
History
Built 1932
Designed By Hudswell Clarke
Type 102 h.p. diesel mechanical
1972 Arrived on SVR
1980 Sold
Technical
Weight 21 tons 0 cwt

Diesel Locomotives

Hudswell Clarke 0-4-0DM shunter D577 ‘Mary’ was the third diesel shunter on the SVR, having been donated to the Railway in 1971. However its use was restricted due to limited haulage and braking capability and it was later sold, leaving the railway in 1980.

Contents

D577 in service

‘Mary’ was only the third standard gauge diesel locomotive to be built by Hudswell Clarke & Co of Leeds, and was fitted with a dummy chimney and cab controls reminiscent of the steam locomotives for which that company was better known. It is a Diesel Mechanical 0-4-0 shunter, Works No D577 of 1932, and was rated at 102 h.p. It was delivered new to Beswicks Limeworks Ltd at Hindlow near Buxton in Derbyshire where it joined Hudswell Clarke’s first standard Gauge diesel locomotive, “Lizzie” (D559/1930). Beswicks later became Staveley Lime Products Ltd in 1966. The locomotive’s original livery was red with black and yellow lining.[1][2]

D577 in preservation

D577 arrived on the SVR by road from Hindlow on 24 June 1972 having been donated to the Severn Valley Railway Company. However it proved to have only limited haulage and braking capability, on one occasion failing to shunt GWR Large Prairie 4141 up the back road at Hampton Loade station, a task successfully completed by ‘Red Ruston’ 319290 the following weekend. Its use on the SVR was therefore restricted, although it was used as the resident Bewdley shunter from 1973-75.

After spending a period of time stored out of use at Highley, D577 was bought by a member of the Middleton Railway in Leeds in October 1980. After arrival there it was repaired, repainted and equipped with vacuum brakes. ‘Mary’ appeared in an episode of the BBC's 'Making Tracks' television programme in December 1994 filmed on the Middleton Railway,[2] where the locomotive is still based.[3]

See also

References